Monster
by Oldwickedsongs
Summary: -Completed- Van Helsing crossover: A vampire claiming to be Count Dracula has formed an alliance with Voldemort. This would be fine but the Count has usurped the Dark Prince from power. Throw in Van Helsing, and  fun's bound to follow. Now with Remus.
1. The Count

Author's Note: Unedited version, and my first crossover! Hope you enjoy and expect updates on In the Name of God, and Brothers Grim very soon, I promise. Also, hope you enjoy the numerous Universal movie homages or rip offs. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: "If we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended,

That you did but slumber'd here while these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme is no more yielding then a dream."

-Midsummer's Night Dream

****

**Monster**

**By: Lady Erised **

**Chapter One: The Count **

Admittedly, there were certain things Severus Snape should have become accustomed to by now. Awakening in the middle of the night to find his lover (who was also one of Lord Voldemort's favored) gone should have been on the top of the list. But it wasn't. In fact, there were few things Snape despised more then to awake and find his bedmate gone. It brought back memories of his Auror days, and an ill fated but terribly romantic ordeal he didn't want to remember. But, then again, weren't all love young affairs guilty of bringing a smile to the face even as the twisted the heart painfully? He didn't mind that. In fact, he loved feeling even that small connection to his past. It was one of the few things that remained from the better times.

He slid out of his bed, and into a robe before pushing open the thick wooden door and entering the hall. Castle Ardennes was old, and at night, it's age danced hand in hand with the shadows that crept around the corners. Wolves cried to the moon outside and despite himself, Snape was reminded of the old black and white horror movies. He looked up at the cobwebs that were nestled into the high places and decided that he was in a scary story. It was complete with the crumbling castle, filled with all sorts of nefarious evildoers; and assorted monsters.

"Cue the creepy music." Snape said, idly to himself.

"Were you saying something, my Prince?"

Severus looked up and favored Ezra a knowing smile. "No, no Wolf Man, I was just…daydreaming."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Where is Melanie?" He asked instead, looking around and noticing he was not the only man awaken to find his lady gone. Eoin, Ezra, Imre and a few more of the lower ranking Death Eaters that Severus did not know were outside, staring down the hall to the Throne Room with looks of disgust.

Snape turned and looked at the doors and saw that Melanie was grouped with other women, including Eoin's wife Maude, Ezra's girlfriend Cora, Jackie and Drusilla, were grouped around the door eagerly peering through the cracks to see whatever or whoever was visiting with Lord Voldemort.

"He is called Count Rene." Imre supplied the name to the mystery guest before Snape asked.

_Thank you Frankenstein,_ Snape thought to himself. Behind Imre, he could see the slave disappear into the shadows. _And there goes your Monster. _"And who is this Count?"

"A Vampire." Eoin answered. If looks could kill, Maude would be dead and buried, as would the good Count.

"A vampire Count?" Snape snorted. "Not very original, is he?"

"Actually, I think it's the same one."

Snape paused and stared at Eoin. There was something about the way the Kaga said that that didn't settle right in his stomach. He blinked nervously. "No…that's impossible. You can't mean…" Snape paused again, licking his lips. "He's not real. He doesn't exist."

"What?" Eoin mused. "You mean like Kaga?"

"Or werewolves?" Ezra joined in.

And Imre brought up the rear. "Or Dark Wizards?"

"Point conceded." Snape nodded at the three stooges and then inhaled as a grim feeling settled in over his stomach. He began to chew on the inside of his lip, rubbing his neck in thought. Under his hand, he could feel the bumps of Daniel's bite on his neck and quietly he shook his head to release himself from the nightmares.

Now, this is not to say Severus was afraid of Vampires. He wasn't, nor did he feel at anyway attached or fond of the fanged creatures of the night. Instead, there was a sort of deep-seated respect for them as a powerful force in their own right not to dealt with lightly. His own Uncle had been a vampire and he had always reasoned, somewhat vainly, that any power strong enough to fell a Snape must be worthy of some acclaim. And it was also because of this uncle that Severus knew, acutely, that turned humans; however brash and assertive, however hale and vibrant were enslaved to be nothing more then monsters- pure and simple. Everything that had made them human, made them something more then beasts, had been conquered by one brute desire to conquer their own death by inflicting it on others.

It was not an act of cowardice that drove them to kill, nor was it a thrill that was received from it (although some romantics might argue such.) At the end of it all, it was simply to need for blood. The need that took away everything that made humans- the precious free will to chose to live or die on their own circumstances. Vampirism, by it's very nature made men, even great men, slaves. It was this brute desire to live no matter what the cost, on either yourself or others that turned Snape off to the idea of immortality at this price. He was quite simply too vain to bow to any desire. So, rather then his objection being something based firmly on moral grounds or the morality of the situation, it was simply a manner of lifestyles and for Severus, this was an lifestyle he could not condone.

"I would be wary, my Prince." Eoin whispered.

Snape turned, and watched Eoin. While, he was accustomed to the Kaga's baiting, he had also learned that Eoin's jibes usually carried sound advice. "And why is that, Creature?"

"Because Count Dracula is looking for an alliance."

"I'll make sure to wear turtlenecks. What do I care about and old Gypsy Count and his supposed alliances with the Dark Lord? I am the Dark Prince, after all."

"Yes, but so is he and he was it first." Eoin turned to look at him. "Think about, my Prince. Dracula is legend, to all of us who make our home in the dark. His friendship with Voldemort will double the Dark Lord's power. But you know how arrogant our Lord is, Voldemort will not allow a equal partnership. He doesn't like the competition." Snape narrowed his eyes. He didn't like what Eoin was getting at. The Kaga, of course, took this as a sign to continue. "Voldemort will make Dracula his second in command."

Ezra smiled a wolfish smile. "Which would make anyone already in that post very unhappy."

"The instigators right, my Prince." Imre whispered in his ear. "I would watch my back. We took care of Hecate with Day of the Dead, but Dumbledore and his Order are becoming troublesome…and then, of course, there is Saint Michael…"

Saint Michael, the name itself caused Severus to inhale angrily. There were few things Snape hated, and Michael, with his gray loyalties and network of spies and informants topped the list. Snape's value of Free Will turned out to be only as strong as the person's willingness to pick a side and stay at least somewhat rooted to it. Michael traded loyalties and lives for gold and silver which was something Snape could not respect, yet alone condone. But for now, Michael had not done anything to directly affect him and he was in truth, useful to Voldemort.

So until there came a time he was not, Michael would remain well and alive.

And besides, he was not the problem right now. This pansy Count from Romania was. Lifting his chin, Severus inhaled and stuffed his hands in his pockets and made a straight line towards the Throne Room. He nodded at the women, before opening the door and walking in.

Eoin blinked and turned to stare at his companions. "What the hell is he doing?"

"Something stupid." Ezra deadpanned.

"Typical humans."

Snape walked into the Throne Room and immediately wished he had at least dressed before he entered. It was too drafty in this place and wearing only boxers and a robe when meeting your new rival put whole new meeting on the idea of facing your enemy unarmed. If nothing else, he wished desperately for his mask. One should after all prepare a face for the faces that you meet, Prufrock had taught Snape that.

The Dark Lord looked up, and tilted his head at Snape. When Severus had first met Voldemort, the man had reminded Snape strongly of a Liverpool shipyard worker with his easy nature. He had been something that could have been called handsome and sturdy, with a sort of unpolished handling of himself that had made Snape wonder if Muggles had raised the Dark Lord, despite his grand bloodlines. But time, even though only three years had passed since that encounter and now, had not been kind to Tom Riddle.

His skin had began to pull at the bones, like canvas pulled too taunt over a frame. Age, and whatever Dark Magic Voldemort had used to gain power and immortality ate away at those strong muscles and relaxed posture, making the Dark Lord stand so erect it looked painful, and he carried his arms slightly raised in front of him, fingers sprawled like he was suffering from arthritis. His eyes, once sharp, haughty and regal were now bloodshot and narrow; and altogether it gave Voldemort a snakelike appearance, rather then the man he had once been.

His counterpart, however, looked quite simply beautiful. Snape inhaled at the image but was careful not to react too much, knowing Dracula was studying him as closely as he was studying Dracula. The man was standing with his arms folded behind his back, and his chin lifted slightly. Long dark brown hair hung in a lose ponytail that fell over his shoulder. His face was round, and intriguing, with eyes that glowed with malevolent mirth and thin lips that were pink. He was not the pale, tall, brooding image of Dracula made popular by so many Muggle movies, but nonetheless, his danger was real and palpable. He carried himself as if he was the epitome of everything that should be feared and respected.

But he was not a leader of men, nor had he ever been. Snape knew this from the start.

So this was not Dracula, not the one of story at any rate.

"So," Snape deadpanned in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Who are you?"

"Is there a reason you're bothering us at this late hour?" Voldemort asked, folding his arms.

"Oh, no." Snape chirped. "I just woke up to my find my bed buddy gone, she was swooning over this Max Shrek would be, along with the other female Death Eaters and so I decided to see what all the fuss was about. So, again, who are you?"

"Delightful, how your children rely on their snobbish charms to hide their dislikes or insecurities." The Dracula vampire smiled. He turned and glanced over Snape lightly. "But I would expect better treatment from your second in command, Lord Voldemort."

"You know my Master keeps telling me I should learn manners but they never stick." Snape countered. He glanced at Voldemort at the corner of his eye; the Dark Lord enjoyed his brashness and how it kept people off track, but it was a game Voldemort tired of quickly. He had to be careful not to upset his patron.

"I too never had much need for protocol." The vampire whispered in a tone that told Snape he was lying. This pansy loved putting on shows. "But you are right, we should be introduced, I am Count Dracula."

"So, was I, for Halloween once. The fangs hurt." Snape was still watching Voldemort; he couldn't believe this vampire's claim to be the infamous Count but if Voldemort questioned it, Snape could not sense it. Then, something odd began to happen. There was a warm sensation that took over Snape's body. He became very serene, and placid. Severus turned and found himself pleased with the idea that Dracula was finding him delightful and amusing. He did so want to please this man…

No, wait.

Snape blinked and took a step back. He looked at Dracula and narrowed his eyes. The vampire was using his mind games on Snape, bending Severus' will to his own. Anger replaced his placid nature as he raised his chin to face Dracula and meet his eyes directly. "Then again, Bela Lugosi is really the only Dracula. Lon Cheney and John Carridine sucked at it."

Voldemort laughed. "See, I told you you'd like my Prince, Rene. He can be backed into a corner and facing death and he'll just smile and light a cigarette."

"Yup, that's me. I need my cancer sticks."

"He is no doubt a wonderful foot soldier." Dracula rejoined. He offered his hand to Snape. "Let us be friends. When I assume command of Voldemort's armies, I could use your counsel."

Snape looked down at his hand before taking it. There was a rumor that Dracula had been missing a finger from a lost he had sustained in life but the black gloves Dracula wore hid any injury. He nodded thoughtfully and took the Vampire's hand. He had no intentions to bowing to this flamboyant Count but knew he could not attack him directly. But that didn't mean he couldn't threaten him.

"I wouldn't be so assured, Count Dracula." Snape smiled. "We're not hiding in corners and baying at the moon after all. We are fighting a war more or less, and that's something you haven't done…in a while." His smile turned malicious. "And you don't have your brides to help you."

"A problem I am planning on remedying as soon as I can." Dracula returned, and glanced at the closed doors. "Perhaps, you can suggest someone. As for the war, I should be okay. After all, I have you bowing to me, that's worth something."

Snape glanced at Voldemort, who merely nodded. "We'll see how well fare against Hecate, St. Michael and Dumbledore's Order then."

"Which is where you come in, I know how much you love a challenge, my Prince." Voldemort interjected with a smile of his own that made Snape worry. "You will be in charge of the Count's safety."

"Wouldn't Eoin be better for that? He was born to that."

"I want you to deal with it."

"May I ask why?"

"Because Hecate and Dumbledore have united with the Knights of the Holy Order to combat our new alliance."

"Knights of the Holy Order? The Muggle religious leaders who fight evil?"

Dracula nodded. "The very same. One of their most powerful hunters have been sent after me, and aiding him is a Hecate Companion."

"Erised." Snape supplied. Somehow, without Dracula or Voldemort telling him, he knew this was the Companion that had been sent. He could feel it in his gut. He had heard of Erised's journeys into the underworld, looking for him among the vampires and had known of her reassignment to Dumbledore's side. It seemed natural that her history with the vampires and her new vocation would make her an ideal choice. It would also make this new mission difficult. "I suppose you want them both dead?"

"That is preferable."

"Who is this hunter?"

"His name is Gabriel Van Helsing."

Snape nodded, not really caring about the names. He was too busy trying to figure out how he was going to beat- and kill- someone who had studied his every move. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and rubbed his eyes before turning and walking back towards the door. "It shall be done, my Lord…Lords."

"What now?" Voldemort asked, "Where are you going?"

"Back to bed."


	2. The Shadow

Author's Note: Kudos to Miracle on 34th Street, which lend it's self to Gabriel to crack on Albus. 

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**Chapter Two: The Shadow**

Gabriel Van Helsing removed his hat and craned his head to study the ancient castle. He had never been to Hogwarts before, although the Knights of Holy Order had said it was open to him should he ever need a safe haven. He had always rejected this on principal. Hogwarts was a school of magic and, with a few exceptions; he never trusted Wizards. They played with something that should not be bothered in his opinion. He didn't pretend to know the grander things in life, nor did he understand everything that curled into the darker recesses of the soul and he had long since decided he didn't have too either. Arts like magic, and science tended to make whatever evil lurked within come out, and in violent ways. That was what he had to deal with everyday. It was hard to deal with the morality of the issues when a gigantic beast was ripping through villages and murdering innocents. Matters of the heart and soul tended to be deep-seated mysterious powers that he didn't like to delve too deep into.

He had enough problems trying to stay alive.

"Gabriel!" Albus Dumbledore called as he walked towards him. His arms enfolded Gabriel into a tight hug. "You haven't changed a bit."

Gabriel stepped back and grinned at Albus. While it was true that Gabriel hadn't changed, the Headmaster had. His hair had long since turned white and his face held lines of age and care that didn't seem to affect Dumbledore's bright, joyful eyes. At first, Gabriel had hated those eyes, feeling they were mocking him. Once he found out this was true, it had been easier to accept and as time had passed, the two became something like friends. It had been a sort of working relationship; an alliance that had been called on from time to time when matters of one world overlapped with the other. This alliance that had been built on need was also nurtured by gentle ribbing. Which was why Gabriel now reached over and tugged on Dumbledore's beard.

"So," He said, lazily. "Is this a fashion statement or sign of authority because let me tell you, I don't think the girls dig a fuzzy face."

"I don't think Victory minds."

"Ah, yes. Victoria. Is she still doing well or does she want to kill me still?"

"Wants to kill you still but don't worry. It could be considered a compliment."

"About the beard, I've always wanted to know. When guys grow it out like that, is it tucked in or out during sleep?"

"Out, the cold air helps them grow."

Gabriel laughed. "Alright, Santa Claus, I believe you…" He stopped and turned, hearing something. "Are we here alone?"

"I believe so. Why?"

"I thought I saw something move, in the shadows."

"Ah yes," Albus mused as he motioned for Gabriel to follow. "Well, the shadows do tend to move here. It's the same thing with the stairs, and some of the rooms…ghosts also tend to like to lurk around. I wouldn't put much mind to it."

Gabriel nodded, offhandedly but kept searching the shadows as he walked. "So what's the problem? Cardinal Riker said you sounded worried and wanted me to come as soon as possible. I left a mission in San Jose to come here."

"Well, you already know about the Dark Lord that has come to power in recent years, correct?"

"The one claiming to be the heir to Salazar Slytherin? Yes, I've heard about him two years ago, when Hecate was attacked." Gabriel's face darkened. "I lost some friends in that."

"I didn't know you had other Wizard friends beside me, Gabriel."

"Acquaintances more like it. Every time I hunt a Warlock or Magical cult, I can usually expect to find one or two Navies hiding nearby."

"I'm surprised the Aurors didn't employ memory charms on you to protect their secret."

"Maybe they did." Gabriel smiled deeper. "Maybe it worked too well and _that's _way I don't remember my far past."

"It's a theory."

"And I wouldn't put it past them. You guys sometimes are more trouble then you're worth. Hell, I remember I hunted a werewolf once and this little blond-haired pansy comes in to try and steal the credit. I let him have it but oh, what I would have given to just take one shot at him. He was an odd bloke…named Gilderoy, I think. Thought he was a hero, I almost got bitten again because of him."

"Many try and take things upon themselves in hopes to find fame. It's a human characteristic."

"That's fine, but if he tries again, I'll shoot him." Gabriel said, and then narrowed his eyes as he caught the shadow move again. He spun about, jumping in front of Albus and pulling out his automated crossbow from his coat. As the times had changed, so had his weaponry, and his belt now held two silver laden revolvers, besides assorted bottles of holy water and oils, and other anointed odds and ends but he still liked the crossbow. It reminded him of Carl and Anna. "Albus, get down!" He cried as he fired off six arrows in rapid succession.

The creature in the shadows sprung into a flip before throwing itself against the wall as the last arrow pinned it. It made an alarm sound and pulled something out. Gabriel was about to fire again when Albus put his hand on the crossbow and pushed it down.

"It's alright! Hold your fire." Dumbledore called. "She's on our side."

"She?" Gabriel frowned.

It was indeed a human woman, or at least looked like one. She was standing in profile to him, with her body carefully out of the line of sunlight. A tightly weaved bun of hair so black it looked blue held a thin wand stuck through it to keep her hair away from her eyes. She was dressed in a tight military style uniform of heather gray and when she turned, Gabriel saw eyes of the same color. It took a moment after meeting the woman's eyes to notice her disfigurements. She looked as if she had been or could have been beautiful and attractive at one time if not for a difficult life. Her eyes were tired and grim, and lines had begun to mark her young face; making her look older then she probably was. On her neck was a large, ugly white scar as if someone had to sliced her throat, at various places on her neck, puncturing the line were little white scars: vampire bites.

The woman must have seen Gabriel looking at her scars because she looked down and pulled the wand from her bun, releasing her hair over her shoulders and letting it hide at least some of her deformities. She then gripped the arrow that had pinned her sleeve to the wall and yanked it out.

"You missed." She said, shortly as she retrieved the other arrows.

Gabriel raised his brows. "You must have vampire reflexes to dodge those arrows."

"I also have heightened senses akin to werewolves." She returned as she came towards Albus and him, holding the silver arrows to him.

"And yet you're not either." Gabriel guessed. He didn't know whither to be impressed and unnerved. "But something tells me you're not human."

"No, I'm not. I am Kaga."

"Is that some kind of animal or is that your name."

The Kaga arched one eyebrow. "I don't have a name."

"Her name is Erised, but call her Ari." Dumbledore said, giving Erised a look. "And the Kaga are…" He paused, searching for a way to define them. "They are an order of Wizards and Witches who are carefully engineered to be superior to regular humans in mental and physical discipline."

"An Order?" Gabriel looked at Erised in disbelief. "You're a product of eugenics."

"Among other things." Erised agreed, with a nod. "We also employ the use of magic and, most recently, sciences to aid in our engineering."

"To what ends? What do you gain from your superiority?"

"We lend our services to causes we feel are worthy of our attention. For some time now, our cause has been in service of the Aurors at Hecate."

"So your hired mercenaries. And so powerful, you have no equal. You will forgive me but that makes you sound a lot like a creature."

"We have been called that, and more." She answered, passively. "In fact, the Magical population as whole tend to view us as a myth, a type of long-forgotten boogey man from an other time. Because of this fear, we rarely interact with humans outside Hecate."

"Paranoia over ignorance, careful breeding, lack of emotions." Gabriel listed. "You should like a lot of the monsters I hunt."

"So, does that mean I am to be hunted?" She asked, watching him with her cold eyes.

"Why don't we focus on the problem at hand before we go looking for new ones, eh?" Dumbledore whispered. He was looking at Erised with a sort of warning, tired expression that made Gabriel think that this had not been the first time Erised had acted difficult. As Dumbledore and him began to walk again, Erised fell into step behind them quietly.

Gabriel turned to watch her for one long moment. She reminded him of Anna Valerious slightly, in the way her boldness seemed to hide some deep-seated sorrow she didn't dare show for fear it made her appear weak. He inhaled at the memory before turning his attention back to Dumbledore. "Now what about your Dark Wizard? I thought Hecate and you were taking care of him and didn't need our help."

"Normally, I would say we didn't. Voldemort is a powerful Wizard, and I wouldn't want to risk Muggle lives- despite how able they might be- in open combat with him. However, Voldemort has forced my hand. Intelligence I've received has put a powerful old adversary of yours at his side as of late, and I need your help in dealing with this."

"I have a lot of old adversaries, Albus. Can you tell me which one we're dealing with?"

"Count Dracula."

Van Helsing could have sworn the air turned colder at the mention of his name. He felt his hands ball into fist beside as rage boiled inside of him that he struggled to maintain. It had been years since he heard that name spoken as a threat, years since the memories of that monster had come to haunt him. He remembered that mission of course; though there had been times he longed it forgotten like some bad dream. In his ears, he could hear Dracula's piercing laughter, and feel the memories play out in his hands over again. He could almost feel the weight of Anna's dead body slumped against his as he realized the terrible truth…

He almost jumped as he felt a hand graze his arm. He turned and saw Erised nodding slightly to him as she removed the arm and returned to her position behind them. It had just been a second but her touch had been exactly what was needed to stop some chaotic descent into memory. He smiled at her, and then spoke to Albus. "She always do that?"

"You'll find when she wants to be, Erised can be quite the angel." Dumbledore cooed. "I'm sure you'll find her services useful in your mission together."

"Together?" Gabriel and Erised asked in unison.

Albus smiled as if he had expected this response. "Yes, together. You have fought many monsters, Gabriel but not this kind. Along with creatures like Vampires and Werewolves, Voldemort employs human soldiers and the most powerful of his soldiers is a wizard known as the Dark Prince."

"The Dark Prince? I've heard rumors about him, they say he is responsible for Day of the Dead."

"Yes, and he's thought to be Lord Voldemort's top general. You'll find him to be a powerful and cunning adversary. His tactics and boldness on the battlefield are akin to classic generals and soldiers. While he is ruthless, he's not wasteful and will retreat if he feels the odds aren't stacked in his favor."

"Which they rarely are." Ari whispered.

"All the more reason to be careful." Albus warned. He was watching Gabriel now intently. "Erised here is probably one of the foremost experts on him."

"And why is that?"

"Albus seems to believe that the Dark Prince is a fallen Auror."

"Do you have any proof?"

"Just speculation," Albus allowed. "It's the way he fights and is unwilling to lose troops, it seems too calculated for someone who has spent his life hiding behind wealth." He glanced at Ari. "But rather, someone who has both class and a history with the Aurors."

Ari shook his head. "Regardless of what his true identity is, he'll be close by the Dark Lord and Dracula. Leave him to me."

"Fair enough," Gabriel said, simply. "But can you fight?" Ari blinked as if she had never been asked such an odd question. She folded her arms and held up her chin to show off her scars. He decided to bait her. "With all those, I'd say no."

"You should have seen the other guy." Ari said after a beat, and smiled.

Gabriel smiled back. "That works. Just keep close, and we'll watch each other's back."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Alright. Let's go."

"What, now?" Ari asked.

"Why not? Gabriel shrugged. "It's almost nightfall and I assume you have at least some idea where the bad guys are going to be hiding."

"So, we're just going to rush in there? With you having never faced Death Eaters before?"

"Yes, that sounds about right…although first I want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then we can go."

"You've never heard of the saying fools rush in where Angels dare to tread, have you?"

Gabriel turned around and smiled at her again. He started walking backwards. He decided he liked that dazed, but amused look on Erised's face better then the cool, collected guise. It made her look a little more human. "No, why? Should I have?" He turned and continued to walk off.

Ari watched him walk for a moment before turning to Dumbledore. "Where did you find him?"

"He found me." Dumbledore answered. He leaned over and nudged her with his shoulder. She had a light in her eyes he had never seen before. It was a kind of relief that she wouldn't be alone on a mission and that her partner would someone who could at least remotely understand her. "You like him, don't you?"

"He's arrogant, and assumes too much." Ari deadpanned. "I think I'm in love."

"Watch yourself, Erised. One might mistake you for human." His tone turned serious for a moment. "And don't rush into anything foolish."

"We're going into the Lion's Den, Oz. I doubt we'll do anything but foolishness."

He reached over and touched her cheek. "You know what I mean. He's not accustomed to our ways, watch over him."

"To Hell and back, sir." Erised assured him as she started to follow Van Helsing.

Albus drew his hands over his robes and folded them thoughtfully to rest at his waist. He stood watching as Erised slide into step behind Gabriel, and then duck as he turned around to look at her. They both were smiling and laughing as they continued a childish game of cat and mouse before Gabriel batted at her, found her arm and pulled her to walk beside him. Ari blinked nervously, then said something to him that Albus could not hear at this distance.

Albus smiled in hope.

Since her assignment to him almost three years ago, Albus had watched Erised began a descent into darkness that was a starch contrast to her former days. Already a war torn veteran at roughly the age of twenty-two, Ari had been serving Hecate in one fashion or another since she was ten, the age of adulthood for the Kaga, and had spent the last six of those years in one of the most prominent positions someone of her Order could hold- the Companion of an Auror General. And in the latter years, as Malachi Smith's age and failing health begun to wear on his mind, it had been rumored that she had quietly taken more and more power unto herself, in the desire to help alleviate her Master's stress until she had been the unofficial commander of the division. She had done a wonderful job for someone who lacked the decades of experience that Malachi had, but at the end, she was still only a child compared to him.

And her fragile house of cards had shattered, one day in mid-November when one of the Interrogators, a relatively unimportant Auror named William "Monet" Moore and his family were killed and set into motion a witch hunt and paranoia that had gripped Hecate Compound as they searched vainly for a mole within the Compound and struggled to prepare themselves for a war they had been too late in seeing. Now after Day of the Dead (the attack that had left the Compound reeling) Erised had living in a sort of suicidal self-imposed exile, refusing to accept either comfort or hope. She was torturing herself over things she couldn't have changed even if she knew and it pained Albus to see such talent, such simple devotion and almost childlike faith in a cause lost to despair.

But now, when coupled with someone who understood no other life then soldiery, and dedication to a sometime vague and unforgiving cause, maybe Erised would see that a defeat, even one as crushing as hers, was not the end. Maybe Gabriel could help her heal in ways Albus, with all his wisdom and age, could not. After all, he had never been a soldier, not like them. Gabriel could help Erised more then Albus ever could.

After all, Gabriel knew something of lost.


	3. The Hunter

**Chapter Three: The Hunter**

"They hide out in a Cabaret?"

Erised looked behind her, and smiled at Gabriel's dumbstruck look. She decided he was very handsome in the pale moonlight. He never seemed to frown in displeasure but rather only when he was somewhat begrudgingly admitting he had done something foolish and worthy of ridicule. He met her in the eyes when he spoke to her, and always had a coy comeback from her biting commentary on the Human race. She hadn't liked someone this quickly since…

She looked down and turned back to the Looking Glass. "Yes, the Looking Glass is a favorite haunt of the Dark Lord's armies."

"They're hiding in a Cabaret." Van Helsing repeated. He leaned over and nudged her shoulder slightly, grinning childishly. "Is it times like these you think you're on the wrong side?"

"Not really. I don't have a side."

"What do you mean? Gabriel asked as he leaned closer and caught a scent of Jasmine on the air. Since they were entering a bar, he decided that it would safer if they appeared as a couple and to that end, he slipped one arm comfortably around her waist. Admittedly, he was a little nervous about such a bold move because of the distinct gut feeling that she could break him in two if she wanted. He was surprised when he felt her mold against him, either getting the same idea about appearances, or enjoying his touch.

"I'm a Kaga Companion. We don't have right and wrong. We find a Charge, and we do whatever is in our power to ensure their interests are protected."

"Even if his interests involve cost people their lives."

"From what I understand, you consider yourself murderer as well as a man of God. Judging me on my lack of human morality makes you somewhat hypocritical, doesn't it?"

"I fight because in the end, it's for the greater good."

"So to save a city, you would burn it to the ground?"

"I never thought about it like that, but yes."

"I was right then." Ari smiled softly as she found a table and slid into a chair. Her hand began to trace the rim of the cup, as some memory took hold of her. "You remind me of a man I knew once."

"Happy memories I hope."

"For the most part." She looked up again, her face back to the clear exterior. "And as for my morality, if you are so concerned about it, perhaps you shouldn't trust me."

"Nonsense, I trust you with my life."

"I warned you. Remember that." Erised said slowly, then smiled again. She turned and looked over across the crowd. She leaned in, and began motion with her eyes to a various members of the group. "Alright, the group of women hanging out on the stage is the Valkyries. The dark haired one in the middle playing with the knife, that's their unofficial leader. She's called Jack the Ripper."

"I knew Jack the Ripper." Gabriel mused. "He wasn't anywhere near as cute."

"Still think you're on the wrong side?" Erised chided, and looked away, angrily. Subconsciously, she touched the scar around her neck and tried to suppress the feelings of intense jealousy and unbridled hate she felt for Jackie. Now usually, (and this was a great source of pride) Erised was a calm, unemotional person. She knew war, however brutal, however harsh, was not a personal experience. It was something that aided to the natural order of things like the seasons and the cycles of life. War was a uniquely human invention and while she was not Human, she knew she- liked everything else in this great big world- was subjugated to the whims and foolishness of the species. She only had her missions to accomplish and as long as the war didn't interfere with her completing her missions, the humans could do whatever the hell they wanted too. But Jack the Ripper had broken that rule. She had come into Erised's life and changed the game. She had taken something that was very important to Erised, and had destroyed it.

And Ari was powerless against her. Closing her eyes, Ari motioned for a waiter to bring her a drink, then jumped when she felt Gabriel touch her shoulder.

"This might sound sappy." The human was smiling at her. "But I'm on your side. That's the only place I want to be right now."

"You're right. That is sappy."

"But it got you smiling!" Gabriel chirped. He watched her blush and touched her cheek. "See! I see dimples!"

Ari looked across the room, ready to bring the attention away from her. "That's Silas Malfoy, the owner of the club. The couple making out behind him is his wife and brother."

"Who's the boy he's flirting with?"

"…I don't know. Probably a Muggle he picked up. Silas likes to slum sometimes. He'll find an attractive Muggle or mixed blood and bring them here. He'll flirt, have some fun and then the Death Eaters will have fun killing him slowly."

Gabriel's hand flew to his pistol.

"Not yet," Ari hissed, "He's not your concern, but Dracula is!"

"So you want me to let that boy be killed?"

"I want you to keep your mission in mind."

"My mission is to fight evil." Gabriel answered; he met Ari's eyes defiantly. "And that man is evil."

"No one in this room knows that better then me." She answered coldly. There was a look in her eyes that showed real fear and passion that made her voice shake. "But right now, we're here to fight Dracula."

"You've fought him before." It was not a question. Erised sipped her drink and looked away from him to study the room again. There was such pain hidden behind her eyes that Gabriel's heart shifted in his chest. She reminded him so much of Anna that he longed to comfort her even as he despised her for calling back those painful memories. He inhaled and looked away, fiercely telling his brain to take control again and end this foolishness. He had a mission to complete like she said. He could not be compromised with manners of the heart again, like he had those years ago. It had cost Anna her life and he would not risk Ari.

But tell that to his heart when he saw her stumble as Silas turned carelessly and glanced in their direction. He squeezed her arm. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She answered, simply. There was a touch of grim humor to her voice now. "Look on his left hand, he's missing fingers. I did that to him."

Gabriel smiled, as his hand curled around a ring on the opposite hand. He traced the dragon crest with this finger, already knowing the grooves and rises by heart. He bowed his head for a moment in pain. Maybe she wasn't like Anna, he thought, maybe Erised was already just like him: dead inside with only a seemingly fleeting faith to cling too.

And as he continued on his quest and the monsters became less clear cut, and more human, Gabriel was beginning to feel that he was no longer some hero or holy-man and more like the murderer and trash collector he always feared he'd become.

"I know those eyes." Ari said, bringing his attention away from his musings and back to her.

"Do you?"

"Yes, those are the eyes of a man who has a story." She started in an overly dramatic way that told Gabriel she was spoofing someone. She narrowed her eyes and smirked at him. "Jaron use to say, 'if you want a man's journey, take a look at his scars but if you want the true story, look at his eyes.'"

"Who's Jaron?" Gabriel asked; laughing from the husky Arabic voice she took on to repeat the quote. "Sounds like…"

"A man with a lot of hot air." Ari supplied with a laugh. "He was my mentor, and the closest thing I've had to a father outside of Albus." Her eyes dimmed slightly in memory. "He was a good man."

"What happened to him?"

"He died. A long time ago." She slapped her leg and looked back up. "But you've already found out enough about me tonight. What about you? What's your story?"

"…I'm afraid I don't really have a interesting story." Gabriel began uneasily and looked down to his as-of-yet-untouched drink. He took two consecutive drinks from it and winced as it burned his throat. Erised smirked and took another drink of hers. He thought idly she must be Irish. "I've been a Knight of the Holy Order for as long as I can remember, and they're as old as organized religion."

"I didn't ask about your bosses. I want to know you. Where were you born?"

"I don't know."

"Do you have family?"

"I hope so."

"How old are you?"

"Old."

"Where did you get your ring?"

"What?"

Erised motioned for his hand. "You play with it a lot. It seems to have meaning to you even if your past doesn't seem too. I'm trying to understand you, Van Helsing."

"What's there to understand?"

"How a man with such sad eyes came to be that way."

Now it was Gabriel's turn to blush and look away. Taking a deep inhale, he took another shot of his drink before reciting to her what he had pieced together from his past. He felt odd about sharing this with someone, considering it had always been a very personal struggle but it was something about the way she was so quiet and unassuming that made him trust her. Maybe it was that she claimed to not be human but still retained just enough her humanity to appear gentle and comforting: like an Angel.

"My oldest memories are waking up in a room inside the Vatican Church. I had been there for sometime they said, for years. The Cardinal told me I had crawled into the church grounds bleeding and beaten within an inch of life. I was able to tell them my name and ask for asylum before collapsing into a coma. When I woke, the church took care of me. They kept fed, clothed, and well and I helped where I could. We discovered that I had military training one day and that's when they recruited for the Knights of the Holy Order. Now, I'm a little fuzzy on the dates but I'm pretty sure that was about ninety years ago." He swallowed and debated on looking into her eyes before deciding he probably wasn't going to like what he saw there. "And I haven't aged a day since. The Knights don't know if I'm cursed or blessed, and I have no memory of how I became this way…only that I am. They say I am sent by God to protect the world against evil. They say I was sent by heaven to fight monsters. I don't know if that's true but I do it, not because it's right but because it's all I know. I've fought legends and blasphemies and at times, I'm sure I've even battled the Devil himself…and I just do it because I'm told to." Now, he looked up to her eyes. She was watching him intently and with the tiniest bit of awe. "And that's why I trust you…because I understand you."

There was a silence between them before she spoke again. "So, who have you fought?"

"Oh," Van Helsing said, now on more familiar ground, he was able to lean back and boast. "I've fought Frankenstein's monster, the wolf man…a couple of them, a monster called Mr. Hyde, a mad Doctor called Moreau. Lots of Dark Wizards, and banshees and creatures from lagoons, and deserts and crypts…and of course there's…"

"Dracula."

"Yes, there's Dracula."

"No…he's here." Erised said, motioning behind Van Helsing.

Gabriel turned and stared at the three men who had just entered the Looking Glass. Normally, he would have kept such behavior in check, knowing it would cause attention to be brought to himself, but everyone in the room seemed absolutely fixated on the newcomers as well so there was no need.

The first man to enter was dressed in a simple black suit that was perfectly cut to his body. His gray eyes ran over the room quickly and for a brief second they met Gabriel's before this man stepped aside. The second man was also in black, this time long robes and a Cossack, with the hood laying over his shoulders immaculately. Long black hair was pulled into a tail behind him but two strands of hair escape to fall over what was by far the most arresting piece of his uniform. Sitting on his face, perfectly formed and fashioned was a bone white mask, that was marred only by three slender scars that sliced through the left eye as if a cat that taken a swipe at him. Finally, bringing up the rear was a man in black and gold robes that knew exactly to attract and keep attention. His eyes scanned over the crowd with a look of hunger and arrogance that seemed to annoy his masked companion.

Gabriel heard Ari whisper into his ear. "The first one is Eoin Malone, the Dark Lord's personal attendant. The mask is the Dark Prince, his second in command, and lastly, Count Dracula."

"That's not Dracula."

"What?"

"That's not Dracula." He repeated. "He has the pomp down but that's not Vladislaus." Gabriel heard Erised release a breath and chuckle happily in relief. "Good." She whispered. "We can go and tell Dumbledore and we can find a way to fix this."

"Why wait?"

"What?" There was a sort of unease in her tone that amused Gabriel to no end. For a ready and willing warrior, Erised seemed very unnerved by the idea of open combat.

"We have your Prince and the fake Count along with some of the highest ranking big bads in this room. Why wait for backup? Let's try and end this war now."

"You can't be serious…" Ari started with a look of utter bewilderment on her face. But Gabriel had already pulled his crossbow and stood. Taking only a moment to mutter a quick prayer under his breath, he took aim and fired.

And all hell broke lose.


	4. The Prince

Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to Babbitt who quite honestly kept me chained to her computer until it was finished. With apologies to my readers, I regret to announce that some gems where left out of this chapter (including a war of rubber ducks, and Snape going totally ghetto by proclaiming to Count Dracula "Fuck no biatch.") Again, I'm sorry you couldn't read that draft but I hope you enjoy.

****

Chapter Four: The Prince

"Think I can make it look like an accident?" Severus Snape asked as Eoin passed. The Kaga stopped and looked at him curiously, then turned and studied Dracula, clearly lending serious thought to the prospect. Smiling thinly, Snape pressed the issue, "Come on, one stake through the heart. We'll burn the body and claim the Aurors did it."

"Someone might see us." This was not a rebuke, simply a statement and if anything it was a warning that if Eoin and Severus were to undertake such a venture, they'd best be careful. "And there are rumors that Dracula can not be killed by conventional means. What if that's true? He could go to Voldemort and then where would be?"

"Are you scared, Eoin?"

"I'm being cautious."

"You mean chicken."

"Must you be so arrogant?"

"No, but it does make things interesting, doesn't it?"

"Foolish humans."

"Uptight Kaga."

"Stop it."

"You stop it."

"Behave."  
"I am behaving. You're the one carrying on like a four year old." Snape chided, as he pulled on his long coat and smirked at Eoin. He ignored the Kaga's glare and turned to walk towards the balcony, where the Count was waiting for them. There was a beautiful woman in Dracula's arms, face turned upwards: eyes closed and lips slightly parted as she inhaled. The Count's face was hidden from view, and his delicate gloved hands poised around her waist and on the tip of her chin to keep her steady while he fed.

There was a terrible beauty about the scene, a peace and grace that belied the fact a woman was slowly losing herself and her life to this dark creature and Snape and Eoin were doing nothing to stop it.

"You know we'll have to face her, don't you?" Eoin said suddenly. "If it is her that Hecate has sent..."  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Snape said simply, never turning away from the scene before him. He stopped just shy of the exit, and placed a hand over the door handle. He could see the whisper of his reflection in the glass doors, and he studied it for a second before turning the attention to Dracula and the woman.

"She'll come." Eoin continued, ignoring the interruption. "And keep coming till the mission is completed or she is dead. Do you really think you can avoid this?"

The woman had made a sound, a jerk of instinct as she tried to pull away from him. Dracula's guise of chivalry and charm fell away now, as the arm around her waist tightened and the caress of her chin turned into a choke.

"No." Snape allowed.

"Then do you have a plan?"

"She's dead to me, remember?" Snape half-turned, catching the vague image of Eoin out of the corner of his eye. Although he could not see Eoin, he could picture his face in his mind's eyes. That damn calm face, and cold, curious gray eyes that seemed to view everything for the first time and with a type of understanding that no human could glimpse. "Or have you forgotten?"

Eoin took a step back, and that would be all he would allow Severus. The Kaga was a fearsome creature and his hatred for Snape was legendary. To allow Snape even the smallest victory (verbal or otherwise) would be a deadly crime in Eoin's eyes. Snape had been a blessed man, an Auror, and he betrayed his squad for personal gain. There was no greater sin. Eoin could never acknowledge Snape's life now as a suitable replacement for the life he had forfeited. Not when Snape's sins had destroyed a kingdom.

And Eoin's had only destroyed his soul. If he had one.

Snape mentally prepared himself for the upcoming battle but never turned. The woman had begun to panic now, desperately trying to wrench free from Dracula. The Count's cape began to billow in the wind, adding a sense of theatrics to the whole scene. Snape narrowed his eyes and felt his hand grip around the handle. All he had to do was push open the door to startle the Count and free the girl.

All he had to do was move and the girl's life would be saved.

"After all," He continued, as the scene progressed slowly as if in a book. "Isn't it you that said she was dead? A tragic victim of this senseless war. It's a shame really; she was in prime of her life. A true, honest soldier. A good little Nazi who loved her God, country and comrades."

"How dare you make little her suffering! She did her duty! You hid from yours!"

"What of my suffering?" Snape demanded. The woman's lips had formed a silent scream that pounded in his head and wafted through the night air, begging for salvation that would never come. "What of my pain? Do you think that for a moment my sins do not haunt me? So she suffered, so what? She is still alive and as long as there is life in her, there is duty. That's all she cared about. I am human, Eoin, I'm not some mindless creature as you are. I loved my cause and it was stolen from me. I have a kingdom purchased with my conscience, with the blood of my loved ones. Do you know for a moment what that feels like? Do you know for a moment what dreams that brings…"

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity the woman's frail body surrendered into slumber. Her eyes closed and head lolled forward, slumping in Dracula's arms like a rag doll. The Count raised his head and exhaled, his breath becoming visible in the cold air, and the exhale became a delighted, fulfilled laugh as he released the body and stepped back from it as one would avoid a patch of mud that would ruin their shoes.

"Alas, poor soul." Eoin whispered as Dracula met Severus' eyes and walked towards the door. "May your kingdom comfort it's broken Prince."

Snape pushed away from the door and spun to confront Eoin at the same time Dracula entered. He had meant to counter the Kaga, to seize the brash creature and teach him something of pain but stopped short as he felt Dracula's hand brush his shoulder. Eoin had bowed deeply as the Vampire entered and rose as if nothing had progressed.

"They are awaiting us at the Looking Glass, my liege." Eoin told Dracula. "Imre and my Lord will appear shortly."

Eoin had walked into the bar first, scanning the crowd and sidestepping to allow the Prince and the Count to enter. As Snape entered, Eoin had reached over and touched it slightly, in a second and motioned with his eyes towards the table hidden in the corner: where Erised and a man had been sitting, watching them enter. Snape remembered cursing slightly under his breath as Dracula appeared, and muttered to Eoin some brief warning.

"Go back to the Castle." He whispered. "Tell Imre to keep the Dark Lord there until I return."

"Do you think there will be trouble?"

The answer came in the form of a sharp whistle as the man released a volley of silver arrows towards them. Someone screamed. Someone always screamed. Silas had jumped to his feet first, throwing down the Muggle and shouting to Lucius to take Narcissa to safety. The Valkyries flew to their feet moments afterwards, as the Death Eaters jumped forward against the two. Erised cursed as she upturned the table, grabbed the man by his collar and pulled him down. Dracula threw back his cape, and spun away from the arrows and jumped towards the wall.

No, correction, he jumped _unto _the wall. His body turned like a cat, as Dracula stepped unto ceiling and proceeded to walk upside down towards the duo.

"Oh that's a cool trick." Snape mused.

"He can walk upside down!" He heard Erised exclaim. It was not anger in her voice, just annoyance with her over zealous friend. "Why the hell didn't you say he could walk upside down!"

"You never asked!"

"That's not all I can do." Dracula purred, jumping down in front of Erised.

Snape rose, and aimed his wand at the vampire. Eoin grabbed his wrist and pushed it away before favoring him with a knowing look.

"Fangs is on our side, sir."

"Oh right." He exhaled and took aim again. "Is the guy in hat on our side?"

"No, that's the bad guy."

"Can I kill him?"

"If you can hit him."

"Oh good." He began and then promptly fell backwards as he was thrown from his feet by the sensation of being kicked firmly in the kidney. He looked down at butt of a finely craved silver arrow that was embedded into his side. "Oh damn, isn't this great."

"What are you bitch…" Eoin began then stopped as he noticed the wound. There was a look of complete surprised followed by a coy, sincere smile. "Bout time someone shut you up."

"I'm wounded here, a little respect for the dying."

"Oh quit complaining and stay there!"

"How embarrassing." Snape muttered. "Wounded in the first moments of battle." His hand found the arrow, and closed around it. Gritting his teeth, he gathered around all the strength and grit he could muster and pulled the arrow out, howling in pain as it came loose. Pointing his wand over the wound, he muttered a healing charm and winced as the golden pain overtook the throb. A moment after; too soon to really be wise, Snape was on his feet again and descending on the Muggle who had dared to wound him.

Across the room Erised swung about, throwing her weight into a roundhouse kick that sent Dracula stumbling back. She heard Snape's scream and spun back, taking a step forward, towards the Prince only to be pulled back.

"Going somewhere, ma petite?" Purred a dark voice in her ear. "We were just getting introduced."

Erised yanked her arm free from his grasp, and then sent it right back as an elbow to the groin. Had he been human, that must have hurt. As it was, Dracula hissed angrily, caught her by her braid and yanked her to the floor.

"Oh you are a angry one, aren't you? Man-hater?" Dracula tilted his head in study and tsked quietly. "If you are, that is a shame…I would have use of you as a bride."

"I'm not the marrying type." She muttered, and pushed herself upward, only to be slammed back down as Dracula planted his boot firmly on her back.

"I might just keep you there." He cooed thoughtfully. "Teach you your place." He reached down, grabbed her by the collar and hauled her to her feet. Sliding one arm around her waist to hold her firmly to him, he paused for a moment, allowing his canines to grow into menacing fangs before striking at her. She might have cried out but she doubted it.

She was too well trained to fear death.

In hindsight, openly attacking the Death Eaters in their hideout might not have been the wisest course of action. Also, pinning the Dark Prince with his first volley of shots but failing in achieving a kill-wound probably would only succeed in pissing off said Prince. But it did make things more fun.

Spinning back, and losing ground in his retreat, Gabriel released a volley of arrows towards the oncoming Death Eaters. When his crossbow failed him, he dropped it, allowing it to swing back into place by his side as he reached for his pistols. He took a running leap behind the bar, shooting as he fell with style. His shoulder instantly told him that it didn't like that and it was dislocated. Again.

"Get out of here." Commanded a pissed voice. "This one is mine!"

"Oh, I feel loved." Gabriel jumped up, guns drawn on the man. He blinked at the scarred mask for a moment. "I have to admit, that's a cool mask." He remarked, dryly. "The Dark Prince, right?"

"You know my name, stranger." The Prince called. "But I don't have yours."

"Van Helsing."   
"Well, Van Helsing. You're a long way from the Vatican. Tell me, what business does a cowardly little holy man have so far from safety? Take a wrong turn in purgatory?"

"Actually, I came for the sun."

"I'd say it's time to go home. Go back to where things are simpler. Go home and pray to your monks for forgiveness."

"Um…well." Gabriel began, smiling with the knowledge that he would now make Carl proud. "I pray to priests. Monks are different." Then, as an aside. "So are fairs."

The Prince chuckled, and bowed his head in acceptance. 

Van Helsing took this chance to shot him again but this time, the Prince was ready. He waved his wand dismissively and the bullet fell to the floor. Gabriel blinked. "Oh shit."

"Yes," The Prince agreed. "Things are getting more interesting, aren't they?" Gabriel was about to fire again when something caught his eye. He turned, aimed and fired. The Prince, unprepared for Gabriel's change of attention, turned to see his new target. Under the mask, Snape cursed and took a step towards her, only to feel Eoin's grip his arm and pull him back.

"She is not your concern."

Snape turned back, "And who will protect her?" He demanded.

"I doubt she needs or wants your protection, Prince." Eoin's cool voice broke with wisdom like he always had the annoying habit of doing. Eoin smiled and nodded at the scene. "Besides, she already has a hero."

Snape stood frozen as he watched Gabriel jump over the bar, and firing relentlessly at Dracula. Snape cursed him for his recklessness and endangering Ari in the process and was more then a little jealous as the man's aim. Dracula was pushed away from Ari, and she stood (somewhat worst for wear) dazed. Her cheek was bleeding from where Dracula's claws had dug in and then tore the flesh away from her face as he fell back.

"You know what," She muttered, shaking her head to wake her from the haze of blood lost and general battle fatigue. "I'm getting about tired of this place."

"Me too." Gabriel called. He had ran out of bullets and arrows. Life was just getting better and better. "Um, tell me you have a plan?"

"What? The great Van Helsing can start shit but can't finish it?" She asked, squatting down and sitting crossed-legged on the floor. "What? You can't get yourself out a little mess like this? Humans." She snorted angrily, reaching into her coat and pulling out a cigarette pack and lighter. "You are always so impulsive."

"Yes, yes, I know. Can you help me now?"

"I suppose so. If you die, I'd never hear the end of it." Ari put a cigarette in her mouth, touched her neck again and stared at the blood. "Foolish humans. I need a drink…" She mused and began to look around for a bottle of something to soothe her troubles.

"Erised!" Gabriel shouted. Dracula's wounds from the gunshots had closed up and he was ready for another round. Glancing over at the Dark Prince, Gabriel noticed he too was back on his feet and standing beside Eoin, ready to advance. The Death Eaters that hadn't scattered at the Prince's order were now at the bar, ready to drink while the floorshow began. He swallowed deeply, and muttered a prayer. "Erised, anytime now…"

"Let him burn." The Prince hissed to Ari. "You're wounded. Go."

"Found something!" Ari chirped happily, waving the full bottle of Whiskey around over her head. She brought it back down and read the label. "Fine stock, this one is." She mused, before downing a drink.

Gabriel shut his eyes. He was going to die.

"Heads up!" Ari shouted before lighting the cigarette, then dropping her lighter into the bottle and throwing it with all her might at Eoin and the Prince. They barely had time to duck as the Whiskey shattered behind them and a small fireball rose from the bar had stood.

The fire spread quickly, licking at the exposed roof of the abandoned theater, catching the building ablaze. Now general panic ran through the crowd as they now ran towards the exits.

"My bar!" Silas Malfoy shouted in pure despair. "My beautiful bar!"

Eoin grabbed his coat and yanked him towards the exit. He turned back, met Erised's eyes, smiled and then disappeared into the night. As he ran out, he called back to Snape. "Try not to die, my Prince!"

Ari had stood again, pulled her wand and cursed Dracula, sending him flying back towards the stage and throwing a table after him. He tried to stand but was thrown back by another table. Ari kept sending debris, one after another; her eyes narrowed in cold hate.

"Teach me my place, will you?" She hissed. "Well, come on! Teach me my place!"

Snape hissed. He knew he had to stop this madness, before the Count was really angered. Cursing Erised for her stubbornness, he sent aimed his wand on her back, and cried. "Curcio!"

Erised fell to her knees, screaming in pain. She turned her head, met his eyes for a second and then threw her head back as he renewed the Curse.

Stupid girl, he thought angrily as he pressed the curse harder. Stupid girl and her stupid duty! How dare she come after him? How dare she pursue him when he did not want to be found and how dare she remain alive and whole when everything else in his life had fell away. He hated her in that moment. He hated her: for her stubbornness and devotion to duty and her memories and her love. He hated her gall and her survival thus far and he hated that she was something that still held sway over him. He hated that she could make him feel anything at all.

And in that moment, he was tempted to end it.

"Erised!" Gabriel cried again, darting forward and pulling her away. His sudden appearance brought Snape out of his musings and he released Erised. He watched as Ari fell back into Gabriel's arms, shaking from the curse and watched as the human's face twisted into pain and concern. "Erised! Come on, talk to me."

"We need…out." She whispered. "We need to get…out." Gabriel was on his feet, holding her a second after she requested it. "Where? Ari, I have to know where…I can't take us to Hogwarts. It's…too far."

"Stupid human, do I have to think of everything?" She hissed again and then screamed from the pain. She reached up and whispered a location into his ear. Now assured with a purpose, Gabriel readjusted his grip and fled the bar.

Alone now with Dracula, Snape turned and watched as the flames dance angrily around the Count. For a moment, Snape was tempted to walk away and leave Dracula to his demise. Snape took a step towards the stage, tilted his head and gloated.

"Damn, you look in trouble." He mused, idly. "Need help?"

"I have my own means." Dracula countered. He stepped into the clearing, bowing his head and spreading his arms out wide. 

"He's gone mad." Snape muttered. "He's going to dance…the hell?!" He stumbled and fell back as Count Dracula quite literally took flight. Snape had seen many monsters in his lifetime, that was certain, but none had ever been so polished and so devastatingly brutal. Even after he saw it, he was certain it had been a nightmare. Some creature let loose from hell…

Some nightmare…

Picking himself, he shook his head to clear his head and glanced around the now crumbling bar. Poor Silas. He was going to die. And what's worst, Dracula was still around. "Well…so much for the accident idea." He mused, before taking leave of the inferno himself.


	5. The Opposition

**Author's Note: The two fun characters in this chapter are sadly not mine. Irvan and Kuso are borrowed from Aku Maru who has written some pretty fun Vampire-centric Snape fics. I really suggest you catch them. She's an amazing writer so I'm secretly jealous of. Well, enjoy and review!**

**Chapter Five: The Opposition **

Gabriel Van Helsing could sense evil. It was a sort of sixth sense he had possessed for as long as he could remember, and had come to rely on more then any other he possessed. He could feel evil like most people felt chill or warmth. It was the way Darkness crept into places and people that Gabriel sensed like a sort of forewarning that came before danger, like ozone that filled the air before a fierce summer storm. And, for the most part, he had come to acknowledge and accept evil and darkness were not always actively out to get him. Most times, yes, they were trying to kill him, but not all the time.

And in times like now, as he carried an injured woman in his arms, he would have to trust that Erised knew what she was thinking when she asked him to take her to dark and menacing central: the looming Grand Marquis hotel. The Marquis held the air of being old, ornate and at the same time being forbidding to anyone who would dare come near its old, gilded doors. Lights flickered from various rooms, and matched with the pale purple sky as morning began to peer over the horizon, the Marquis was bathed in gray, dead light.

Gabriel swallowed deeply and made his way towards the entrance. Erised had woken by now and was lying silently in his arms. As she felt him climb the steps, she tapped his arm and motioned to be let down. Standing on her own unsteady feet, Erised stumbled slightly then pushed open the doors. They entered the grand lobby, and Gabriel was floored by its splendor. He inclined his head to look up at the grand light fixtures and winced, grabbing at his sore shoulder and cursing under his breath.

"It's late, Michael." A man called, walking down the stairs and favoring Erised with a scolding look. He was a handsome man, pale and slender, with a wave of dark hair pulled back from his narrow face, intelligent sapphire eyes and thin pink lips. He was standing at the top of the stairs, arms folded over his chest, and standing in such a way he looked like Lord of a manor in his dark robes. "I didn't expect to see you for a visit."

"Michael?" Gabriel asked, watching Erised out of the corner of his eye. Her entire demeanor had changed again, it lacked the dry wit from earlier in the bar and quiet submissiveness displayed with Dumbledore. Erised stood now, in silent command of her features and in strength. She was the same person she had always been, only now composed, and relaxed as if she had shed some guise and was now among friends where she could show her true colors. She didn't acknowledge Gabriel, and simply bowed to the man. "I had a run in with the Dark Prince earlier. I could use some downtime."

"Of course, come in." The man said. "I heard about the Looking Glass a while ago, Noir wrote me."

"He was there? I didn't see him."

"He took off right after the Muggle." The man took this time to stop and look pointedly at Gabriel. "Started shooting." His thin lips curled into a smile as he walked down the stairs to him. "You must be the famous Gabriel Van Helsing. I am Isaiah."

"How do you know Erised?"

"Of all the questions that must racing through your mind, that is the first one you ask?" Isaiah asked quietly, with a soft smile touching his face.

Gabriel shrugged casually. He glanced over at Erised again, who wasn't looking too hot. She had slumped against the wall and was staring at the chandelier, waving her hand before the dim light and smiling at the shadows made. "…Actually, the most pressing question that is running through my head at the moment is why Ari is making a duck with the light. The question about why did she bring me to a hotel occupied by Vampires is somewhere on the list though if it makes you feel better."

"It's not a duck, it's a camel." Ari called.

"It's a duck, honey."

"Honey?" Isaiah asked, arching a brow. Gabriel noticed Isaiah's face had fallen, and he was now sneering telling Gabriel more then any words would have.

Gabriel tilted his head. "How do you know Ari?"

"Intimately." Isaiah said, shortly. He turned towards Ari, dropping his sneer and walking to her. Gabriel noticed there was clear concern in his eyes as his fingers traced Ari's cheek, down to her neck and lingered on the scratches that marred her cheek then to her neck, over the bite wounds. He swallowed down his pain. "Simon, come take Ari to a room. She needs to rest…and tend to those bites."

Simon, a youthful handsome Vampire who looked delicate but deadly, stepped passed Gabriel and bowed, deeply. "Of course, Isaiah. Come, Michael."

Gabriel watched as Erised curled into Simon's arms, and as they walked up the stairs, passing an open room. Something in the room made Erised stop suddenly, pushing away from Simon and turning into the room. Beside him, Gabriel heard Isaiah curse as he hurried up the stairs to follow. Not content to be alone in this Hotel, and quite simply curious about what he would find, Gabriel followed.

These rooms appeared to be made into a parlor where a dim lamplight was shining. The rooms were red and plush with brown leather bound books lining two walls. Soft music seemed to be playing from in the adjacent room, and only added to the coziness of the room. Clearly this room was meant to impress and sooth any of Isaiah's guests. One of which was standing in the middle of the room with his arms around Ari and appearing to be whispering something into her ear. He was masterfully built and immediately invoked images of a grand warrior king. Tall and board, his frame swallowed Erised, making her appear very fragile in his arms. An image Gabriel didn't quite like for his new partner.

The short, terse cough beside him told him Isaiah didn't like it either.

Nor did the annoyed sigh that followed as the man's comrade brought his chair back to the floor with a thud. He had been leaning on the chair's back legs with the back pushed against the wall to occupy himself, and now a scowl that seemed to have been set in his face only deepened upon seeing Gabriel and Erised.

"Prefect," the seated guest remarked dryly. "Now there's more of them."

"Nice to see you too, Chuckles." Ari remarked muffled from her head still being buried in the taller man's chest. She pulled away from him, and rubbed her eyes, startling Gabriel even more. She had felt comfortable enough to cry in this man's arms. The idea of Ari even being capable crying seemed out of sync with everything, and the uneasiness of being in an unknown situation with even more unknown variables was beginning to tax on his already zero patience. Thankfully, before he could say anything to warrant a repeat performance of earlier tonight, Isaiah had spoken again.

"Kuso, Irvan, forgive me for keeping you waiting. You know, of course, Saint Michael…" Isaiah said, motioning with his hand to Erised and then back towards Gabriel. "And this is Gabriel Van Helsing, Knight of the Holy Order…a human she's aiding."

"Gabriel!" The taller man, Kuso, spoke with what appeared to be a sincere, amused grin cutting through his features. The tone of his voice was warm and welcoming, as if greeting a longtime friend. "Last time I saw you, you were crawling up the Vatican steps bloody and probably hung over."

Now it was Erised's turn to frown, looking over at Gabriel with a curious expression. "You know these Vampires?" She asked quietly, ignoring Kuso who was making only a minor effort to hide the fact he was studying her vampire bite and scratches intently.

"They know me," Gabriel corrected shortly. He turned to Kuso, and then focused on the other one. "Exactly how is uncertain…"

"We go back." Kuso said, looking up. He gave Irvan a glance that resembled both a rebuke and a question of action. Irvan, taking the invitation to speak, looked up again, ignoring both Erised and Gabriel and talking directly to Isaiah.

"H'norngu sent us here for a reason, Isaiah." He chided. "I doubt meeting your human's boyfriend was the purpose."

"Kaga, not human." Kuso and Ari said in unison, with Kuso favoring Erised with a smug grin. She smiled, and leaned against him again.

Gabriel was beginning to get annoyed again. He turned, this time to Isaiah since he was the host. "I'm missing something. Want to share?"

"I'm with Gabriel on this one." Ari decided to join the conversation and end her flirting finally. She pulled away from Kuso and collapsed into his chair, pulling her feet up and wrapping her arms around them. She appeared in pain but gave no sign of it now that her protector was gone. "I thought the Vampires were going to keep their distance."

"We were. Until the Looking Glass incident." Irvan said, casting a gaze at Gabriel. "You've committed an act of war on the Dark Lord. Normally I wouldn't mind but you came here for asylum, which could give Voldemort reason to declare war on this clan…"

"Please don't say his name." Ari muttered into her knees. "And I had no where else to go. Gabe couldn't Apparate to Hogwarts."

"Not my concern. The concern now is damage control…we are not willing to let Dracula regain the power he lost."

"Wait…wait, you knew about Dracula?" Gabriel asked. "You knew there was a vampire alive claiming to be him and you did nothing."

"Why would we do anything?" Kuso asked. "It's not our concern."

"Not your concern!" Gabriel started.

Ari spoke again. "Gabriel, try and understand. Irvan and Kuso are from a powerful sect of Vampires that controls most of Europe. They have to worry about all their kind, not just some renegade Vampire claiming to be a legendary evil..."

"Renegade? Their Kind?" Gabriel repeated, angrily. "Where were they and their damage control when the real Dracula was tearing up Romania then? Where were they and their talk when he was hunting down the Valerious line! Where were they when Anna was killed!"

"What he did on a personal level was not our concern…and you interfered before we had to." Irvan whispered to himself.

It was interesting to see that even though the other occupants in the room had superior senses and reflexes, Isaiah and Kuso were still startled and barely able to grab Gabriel, pulling him back from whatever action he might have taken. Irvan was still sitting in his chair, brow raised in curiosity before nodding briefly to the others- clearly acknowledging the fact he should probably be grateful for their intervention. Ari blinked, sighed and brought attention back to the subject at hand.

"Gabriel says it's not Vladislaus." She whispered, tiredly. "But he was more powerful then any turned Vampire I ever encountered. He was able to walk on walls, and almost fly it seemed. How is it possible?"

"Dracula has powers most Turned Vampires can never possess." Kuso said shortly, rubbing his neck. "I doubt he was turned by conventional means, so it's assumed he was augmented by black magic."

"He made a pact with the Devil." Gabriel interjected.

Ari looked up, watching Gabriel suddenly looking her young age. "I've never met the Devil. What's he like?"

"Can someone please shut her up?" Irvan sighed as his patience for Erised dwindled even more. He turned to glare at her, spending a long moment just staring at her, his frown relaxing just slightly as if he realized something before shrugging it off and turning back to the center of the room. He picked up the glass from the table and sipped its contents. "But that was Vladislaus, who you killed almost a century ago. This one is Rene."

"Rene?" Isaiah asked. "Exactly how many Draculas are there?"

Gabriel raised a brow. "I'm with prick-boy on this one. If this Rene is somehow involved with my Dracula, why wasn't he in Vaseria and how come I've never heard of him before?"

"Prick-boy?" Isaiah repeated with a scowl. Ari too had sat up, frowning. "My Dracula?"

"Oh don't start whining." Kuso countered. "And the reason Rene wasn't there when you fought Vladislaus was probably his mother's doing?"

"Mother?"

"…Sort to speak. Aleera, one of Dracula's brides, turned him. She had hoped that Vladislaus would accept him as an heir since they could bear no children but Vlad didn't like him." Kuso explained, moving to Ari as he talked. "He claimed Rene was too…"

"Vicious?"

"Wasteful." Kuso replied. "As it was, Aleera keep close tabs on Rene after our fun with him…so he was never around when there might be trouble."

"Why did it take him so long to resurface?" Isaiah asked. "Cowardice?"

"Don't be foolish." Ari rebuked, sharply. She had raised her head by now, playing with her fingers and staring at the wall of books intently, refusing to meet anyone else's gaze. "He was biding his time. He knew if he appeared too soon the Knights would send Vlad's murderer after him. He had to wait, till someone powerful enough could emerge that was sympathetic to his cause but would allow him free reign, he had to wait for an equal." She smiled softly to herself. "For an ally."

"You're weak, Angel." Kuso said, slowly. He looked over at Isaiah with a stern glare that made the younger Vampire step back. "Why don't you call back Simon and have her taken to a room."

"I need to hear this as much as Gabriel does." She countered.

"But Gabriel wasn't knocked cold by Dracula now was he?"

"I make one little mistake and suddenly I can't play with the menfolk? That's sexist."

"No, being sexist would require you making me breakfast." Kuso rejoined, then added with a smirk. "Which I might let you do if you're lucky again."

"Can you two stop for five minutes?" Irvan demanded suddenly.

"I agree." Isaiah added, as went to he pick up Erised, who refused to be carried but rather stood on her own, unstable feet. She once again relinquished herself to Simon's care. He folded his arms and waited till he was sure she was out of earshot before turning to Kuso, and somewhat unceremoniously commenting. "I'm not going to ask how you know Ari, but stay away from her."

Kuso blinked, before trying unsuccessfully not to smirk. "You're kidding? Don't tell me your jealous…" He started laughing when he realized Isaiah wasn't. "Aw, that's sweet kid…stupid but sweet."

Gabriel looked over at Irvan who shrugged then upon seeing Gabriel wasn't about to drop the subject, allowed. "To say Michael is friendly with vampires is to put it very nicely. In truth, she tends to have a reputation of having an…appetite for them."

"Voracious appetite." Kuso chimed, then smiling even deeper from Isaiah's glare. "Repeatedly."

Gabriel found himself readjusting the grip he had on his gun. "I see, in such a case, perhaps it's better if I finish this alone. I don't need her judgment compromised by a Vampire playing mind games one her."

"It has nothing to do with mind games." Kuso broke in, and surprisingly looked sincere in his defense. "Ari's an information broker, and early on she needed allies. Now, for some reason she's adopted the Vampires as her cause. I personally think it's cute."

"She's helping monsters." Gabriel forced out, looking over at the decanter on the table beside Irvan and wondering exactly what were the contents.

"You're really not in a room where referring to Vampires as monster would be the wisest course of action."

Gabriel grimaced, but forced himself to remain civil. He was getting annoyed with the prospect of being the last one with information in this world and found himself wishing once again to be fighting a monster with humans beside him, and not some half-charmed woman that seemed to play this game by her own rules, regardless of the consequences.

He wanted things to be black and white again.

"So," He bit out. "What do you have to drink around here?"

Irvan smiled softly to himself as he took a sip of his drink.


	6. The Bait

**Author's Note: Unedited but will be corrected. The dress incident is referring to a soon-to-be-posted fic by Aku Maru called THEART. Read and review!**

**Chapter Six: The Bait**

Severus Snape was sitting quietly in the Keep of Castle Ardennes. This was the room closest to the roof, and among the rows of old, decaying and overturned pews were scattered aged candlesticks that were half-used, and tattered versions of hymnals and bibles that promised to turn to dust if touched. Snape was sitting a few rows back from the altar, head tilted as he stared at the old stained glass window, and at the cross that had fallen from its place and broken one arm. It was propped against the table itself, thick with dust and somehow symbolic in its ruin.

His hands were folded loosely in his lap, half-opened with his fingers interlocked in the position of prayer- a pose he only broke to rub his eyes from what he claimed to be the dust.

"What is it you're looking for?"

Snape inhaled softly, and turned his head the other way, "I don't know…"

"I think you're lying." Melanie Reyes whispered as she walked towards him. Usually adorned as Lady of the Night, she was dressed now only as Melanie, in a simple blue dress with her brown hair down around her shoulders. She smiled at him softly as she sat, and put one hand over his. "You are looking for something but don't want to tell me."

He smiled and looked at her, slumping against her, and resting his head on her shoulder. "I've been called Morning Star, Lucifer, God…" He smiled wryly. "Dark Prince…all these different names for something that I never really thought existed. I mean we grow up like the Muggles do for the most part, knowing something of this man." He motioned to the crucifix. "But never really believing in it. They're just stories to us, but we use them because they're so familiar to us. It makes it easier for us to identify with things. Bad guys like us are called monsters, and devils while people like Dumbledore are called Ministers of Graces…or Guardian Angels." He paused, and looked away. "You read the papers of the Dark Prince's crimes, and know of the secret St. Michael exploits and laugh at these words, and admire our sense of theatrics…but never really consider that there could be something out there where these names came from." He leaned back. "And what's you do realize that there could possibly be something like that out there…your ego deflates and you're suddenly what you always were."

"What's that?"

"Something small." He whispered. "Frail."

"You are a great many things, Severus." Melanie began, tucking her hand within his. "But frail is not one of them."

"Then what am I?" He asked. "I've forgotten."

"You are the Dark Prince. He who makes the nations tremble."

And there it was. Such a neat and tidy title that was meant to explain away all the strengths and shortcomings that made him a man. Usually he would have accepted that as enough but not today and maybe never again. What he had seen in the Looking Glass earlier had changed him forever. Suddenly his picture perfect guise, his glass palace lost its gleam. All the finely dressed shadows were revealed. His house of cards had scattered. Dracula had taken it from him.

The Dark Prince, they called him, the Morning Star. They had called him the Devil playfully, assured that his arrogance and skill was enough to rival the Angel that had dared take on the Almighty.

Only now he had truly seen the Devil.

And he was afraid.

Snape was afraid of few things on earth and part of his mind reasoned that it was true enough that whatever Dracula was, he was not of this earth. He had seen it. Seen how Dracula's human features tore away to reveal his true nature. Severus shuttered as he placed his Uncle who had also suffered from the curse of Vampirism in such a place. No, his mind rejected that visage. Reiner, whatever he was, whatever he had been…

It was not this. It couldn't be.

"Severus?" Melanie whispered quietly. She leaned over and kissed him deeply, cupping his cheek in her hands and leaning into it passionately. "My Severus, my Prince…talk to me, please."

"He's evil." Snape murmured into her lips. He kissed her again, hungry for her touch as he always was. She could make him feel real again, make him feel human and loved. She could soothe away any nightmares with her touch. Now, he desperately needed for her to scare away Dracula and the terrible truth: that there was such a thing as pure evil, and there was nothing seductive or beautiful about it.

It was only a masquerade that made it appear so; a ruse that Severus not only believed but was a part of.

"Oh god he's evil…" Snape said again, holding onto to Melanie. "He's evil and we're helping him…"

"And why wouldn't you?" Called a voice from the entryway. Severus stood, rearing up to face the creature as he came. Dracula smiled at this scene of chivalry. "We are, after all, one in the same. You're just better at hiding it."

Snape's mind was rebelling again, screaming for him to counter this monster's words but he found himself mute. What could he say?

"You can hate me." Dracula said simply, leaning against the frame and folding his arms over his chest with a haughty smirk. "But you will be just like me one day. Evil has a way of working like that."

"I'm not evil…' Snape said, and admittedly the words sounded weak even to his ears. But he had to say it. He could not ally himself with the theory that Darkness and Evil were the same thing. He was a Death Eater, one of Voldemort's soldiers, not a monster. A thin difference to be sure but it was still there.

It had to be.

"So speaks a man who's fighting a losing battle with himself." Dracula turned his attention to Melanie, smiling at the girl as she shrank closer to the pew. Snape took a step in front, to block the Count's view but it did little to deter him. "You made your kingdom among the shadows, forged your titles through blood. What did you think that would make you?"

"I am a soldier."

"No, you were a soldier. Soldiers fight and die for causes that blow away like ash but even so, they fight for something bigger them themselves. For grand words like Freedom, honor and country…you have fought only for yourself." Dracula tilted his head, and extended a hand to Melanie. "…Either to keep nightmares away or to ensure you live in a manner you have become accustom to."

"Melanie, stay behind me…" Severus began but the words died on his lips as he watched Melanie rise and walk slowly to Dracula.

She looked entranced and frightened at the same time and Severus, abandoning all wise judgment, darted forward- away from the sanctuary of Holy Ground and pushing Dracula away from Melanie. The Count could have his place, have his title but he would not allow Rene to take Melanie from him. Not her.

Rene Dracula smiled as he stood again. He clapped his hands on Severus' shoulders and laughed. "And you are the worst kind of evil." He said, simply. "My father was the same way. You have seen, and touched those lovely ideals most people go to their graves believing in but never seeing, and still you threw it away." He stepped back, bowing to Melanie then to Severus. "I don't envy you."

"What kind of evil are you?" Severus asked, quietly.

Dracula tilted his head, and tuck a lock of hair away from his face. "I am the kind that creates creatures like you." He turned and looked out into the sky. "Speaking of which, I would do well to be on my way. I have business to attend to."

Everything in Severus was burning to press Dracula for information. He didn't trust the Count, now even more so, and feared what business he could possibly undertake but to ask questions would tell Dracula he feared him- and however truthful that was, Severus could not show weakness. Not now, not against this foe.

"Where are you going, Rene?" Melanie asked. She took Severus' arm and wrapped it around her slender frame, snaking her arms around his waist, and tickling his back with her hand. She glanced up, meeting Severus' eyes for a second before looking down, back to Dracula.

Severus smiled. He loved this woman.

Dracula didn't seem to notice the silent exchange. He reached over, touched Melanie's cheek with his thumb and pulled away. "I'm off to take what I have claimed."

_The pain was nothing compared to the laughter. Her ears were ringing from their laughter that was thick and hoarse and cut through her like shards of glass. Silas was holding her firmly by her hair, burying her face into the bed as the blade he wore tore away her clothing. She felt him force his way with her, and despite her training, her strength, she screamed from the violation. He only laughed and gripped her hair tighter, yanking it on and pulling it from her scalp. _

_"Yes," Silas breathed angrily. "You are learning your lesson now, aren't you?" _

_She felt him release her and had thought foolishly it was over. But another came. Someone she didn't know but could not fight against. She screamed again, this time the enraged cry turning into a pathetic sob. She was tempted then, for the first time in her life, to beg. Beg these men for mercy, for them to stop, for them to leave her with some shred of dignity. But they would not. They would repeat this until each of the group had had their way with her. _

_And when they were done, they would drag her, half naked to the floor to kneel. It hurt to remain upright, and she could not see. She was coughing now, from sheer illness brought about by what these men had done to her and from smoke that was beginning to fill the Compound. _

_Burning, she realized, they were going to burn Hecate down. _

_This caused her to unwisely jerk away from them, for some vague desire she had to save the Compound she was sworn to protect. Silas' friend, the one he called, Ezra laughed at this and punched her hard against the temple, forcing her to collapse again. _

_"This bitch won't learn, will she?" Ezra demanded. _

_"What have you found?" Purred a soft, delicate voice that caused her to flinch when she heard it. Forcing open her eyes, narrowing them to strain through the smoke and sweat, she finally caught sight of the woman. Jack the Ripper recognized her too, eyes running over her beaten, violated form before looking over to Silas. "Eoin will kill you if he knew."_

_"She needed to be taught a lesson." Silas said, unapologetically. _

_She watched as Jackie unsheathed a small dagger from her belt. It was smaller then most of the Ripper's usual weapons, but somehow pretty with a wooden hilt that was gilded at the tip, and a silver blade that caught the light and caused her to blink when the sun got in her eyes. She heard Jackie walking towards her, and with more care then she thought the Ripper capable of, she felt her head being drawn back, and felt the blade to her neck. . _

_"Here endth the lesson," Jackie whispered and with one swift movement, she sliced through skin and flesh. _

Erised jolted up in bed, trembling and breathing harshly. Her hand went up to her neck, over Jackie's kill-wound and for a long time she sat there in bed, trying to wordlessly reassure herself that it was all a dream.

"But it wasn't that time, was it?" Asked a soft, deadly voice from the corner. Erised turned, wide-eyed to glimpse the figure who was seated comfortably on the chair, playing with the dim candle light by running his fingers over the flame. Dracula smiled at her, then pulled the small lamp closer to his face, allowing the light to address his features. "I underestimated you, little one. Very few women would have your resolve over such an ordeal." He rose, and made his way to her bed. "It is all the more reason you are worthy of the gift I am about to bestow on you."

"I can scream." Erised began softly, but her so-called resolve evaporated as suddenly Dracula was on the bed, hand to the bandages on her neck.

He was staring intently at her neck, making her weak. "I can make you want to…"

"…Don't." She whispered; eyes closing as she leaned closer to him. She could feel his breath on her neck and found that she had trouble keeping her senses straight. She ordered her body to obey, but it rebelled, conforming to the Count's icy touch.

She turned her head and kissed Dracula passionately, feeling his body respond to her and hold her firmly. He exhaled heavily as he withdrew (all too soon for Erised) and then, she remembered. "They're outside…it's not safe for you here. Go. They'll be coming…"

"But they cannot save what is already mine."

"Then why don't you," Ari swallowed, so not to appear eager despite the truth. "Why haven't you taken it?"

"Because I want to beg for it." He answered coldly.

Ari inhaled again as she felt his fangs graze his skin. She longed very much to remain in his arms, to be still and wait…and realized she would do anything for it. "Please…Master."

"I bet she says that to all the boys." Gabriel remarked dryly as he entered. He waited for Dracula to look up before smirking proudly and leveling his crossbow on Dracula, aiming for his neck. "Howdy, partner."

"Ah the Knight comes to rescue the damsel." Dracula said, releasing Erised and moving to stand. He smiled at Gabriel, raising both his arms out in supposed surrender. "Well? Aren't you going to try to vanquish me, fair Knight? You have the title, might as well earn it."

"With pleasure." Gabriel said, and fired.

"No!" Erised screamed and jolted from the bed to run to Dracula.

"Erised, no!" Gabriel screamed.

He lowered the weapon but was too late, the arrow was hurtling towards Ari. Then, in an action that could have only been in a second, Dracula grabbed Erised and turned her, allowing the arrow impale in his shoulder blade. He winced from the impact but not the pain. As he turned, Dracula revealed Erised had her arms firmly around Dracula's neck, looking back at Gabriel.

"Don't hurt him." She pleaded.

"I'm not trying to hurt him. I'm trying to kill him, honey. Step aside.'

"No!"

Dracula looked up, smugly. "Well, isn't this a interesting turn of events."

"I say kill her." Irvan said slowly as he entered the bedroom. He was still holding his glass and leaned against the doorframe to sip his drink again. "It will save me from having to hear an endless amount inane flirting or bickering."

"Ah, Irvan…as lovely and endearing as I remember." Dracula said, happily. He tilted his head, arm around Ari's waist, to study the Vampire. "Such a magnificent creature you are but it is a shame I don't get you see in your sweeter form again." His eyes flickered to the door where Kuso and Isaiah had appeared. "And sadly your company hasn't improved."  
"Michael!" Isaiah called, starting forward.

Kuso grabbed him back. "Not right now, whelp!"

Dracula was laughing now, he looked down at Ari and chided her playfully. "Look at the trouble you've caused, puppet. I don't think they're let us go quietly…"  
"You think?" Gabriel retorted, looking back at the others. For a minute, he wasn't sure what Irvan was so upset it, but the glare on his face was legendary…and oddly familiar. He made a note to ask (read: tease) him about it later.

"I want to go." Ari whispered, clutching Dracula closer. "It hurts too much here."  
"Angel, trust me, if you want to be Turned, you can get it done by someone who's far better looking then _that_." Kuso remarked, dryly. He had finally released Isaiah. "Besides, this one looks near tears."

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Isaiah demanded from Gabriel. "Aren't you suppose to be a hero?"

"Exactly what am I suppose to do?"

"Save her?"

"How?" Gabriel began to ask, then faltered. He met Kuso's eyes briefly, and then went back to Isaiah. Kuso narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, to be equal with Gabriel. Van Helsing nodded thinly. "Alright, I'll get her."

He turned, aimed and fired again, this time catching Erised in the leg. She screamed and fell down, collapsing. Isaiah would have killed him had Kuso not pulled him back, and throwing him in the direction of Erised. Now deprived of his human shield, Dracula reared up in time to defend against Kuso but not Gabriel who was following on his heels. Dracula threw a punch first at Kuso then tried to counter as Gabriel came about, grabbing his arm and twisting it. He cried out in rage, then jerked his arm free and using it to throw Gabriel across the room.

Kuso retaliated by sending Rene sprawling. He laughed from sheer enjoyment. "Just like old times!" He shouted to Gabriel, before grabbing Rene by the throat and pulling him up. "Come on, runt. You started this, finish it!"

"Gladly, when the time is right!" Rene shouted, as he threw off Kuso with one mighty swing. "Do you think I've learned nothing since our last encounter! But alas, this is not the time for it yet." He turned down, watching Erised with a sad smile. "Until next time, my warrior."

Now free of them, an unearthly cry came from him as he began to shift, turning into a sort of bat-like dragon. His hair became black and coarse with thick leathery wings that burst through his back. He released another earth-shattering howl before he rose and burst through the window to make his escape.

"Just like before." Kuso quipped. "The little runt ran at first sign of danger."

"We really need to kill that guy." Gabriel remarked dryly, rubbing the back of his neck and wincing from the pain. This Dracula may not be a willing fighter but he knew how to hurt a man. "I'm not in the mood to continue hunting much longer."

"Let him run." Isaiah looked up, and turned towards the hall. "Simon! Get Raze and the others, we're going…"

"No." Gabriel countered. "It's almost sunrise. You won't be safe."

"Since when do you care about our well-being?"

"I don't. Erised does." He said, shortly. "And if I'm not mistaken, you are trying to protect her as much as I am." He hated what he was about to say next. "So that makes us allies."

From his safe haven in the corner, Irvan snorted again. "Listen to you all. You're creating more problems then you already have making it over this woman." He looked down at Erised. "What is it exactly about her that makes you all so stupid?"

Kuso looked over and laughed. "You're just upset no one fought for you when you were sporting a dress."

Isaiah looked up, frowning. "Dress?"

"Was it red by any chance?" Gabriel asked suddenly, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a smile.

"Get back to saving your damsel." Irvan hissed, angrily.

"I'm no damsel." Erised said shortly. She stared at the arrow in her leg for a while before gripping it firmly and yanking it free. Her eyes began to water from the pain but she didn't make a sound. "And I sure as hell don't need saving."

"Ah-huh. We just saw that from your valiant display of discipline and courage." Irvan said. "What were you going to do? Nuzzle him to death?"

"Is that what you did in the dress?" She asked.

Kuso could see Irvan was getting frustrated and normally he would be all for a battle between Ari and Irvan but Gabriel was looking tired and if memory served, when Gabriel grew weary of things, Vampires tended to get shot at. "So how exactly on you planning to kill him?"

Ari's hand moved to her dagger, and for the first time Irvan said something that was useful for her. "That won't work." He told her in the tone most people used when correcting a wayward child. "The wood and the silver have no effect on him."

"What does then?"

"Crosses, holy ground, holy water all burn him but won't kill him." Gabriel supplied, watching as Ari pulled her wand and began to heal her leg. "Are you okay?"

"Trust me, I've been through worst." She shrugged off, rubbing her leg thoughtfully. "But never that."

"What?"

"I felt like I was under some spell, that's never happened before." She said softly looking down, clearly she was ashamed by her behavior.

"Kaga are immune to Vampiric pull." Isaiah said, looking up at Gabriel with a taunting gaze. "It's something in the Charms and Potions they're given as children to ward against outside influences."  
"Coincidently," Kuso said with a wicked smile. "It also gives their blood a kick, that borders on euphoria when taken enough."

Gabriel smirked as he looked at Ari. "No wonder you're popular with the batboys. You get them high."

Ari shrugged again. "I was born with it." She said, simply. "So how do I kill Dracula?"

"You'd need to be a werewolf."

"What's that, Chuckles?"

"A werewolf." Irvan said again. "That's the only thing that was able to kill the first one. Since Rene seems to have the same powers, you'll have to use the same means."

"Where are we going to find a werewolf?" She asked, angrily. "The only pack that survived the Dark Lord's armies is allied to him. The Astor pack would never help us in defeating the Dark Lord's friend."

"But a rogue might." Isaiah said, looking up. "Ezra sent word to me a few months ago about a young wolf that had broken away from his pack. He asked me to assure the wolf was not to be harmed, something about him being to weak-willed to serve the pack in all means."

"Which means he probably didn't want to work for Voldemort." Ari said, nodding. "I know which one you're talking about. Dumbledore's been after him for weeks now, trying to get him to join the Order." She stood, wincing. "Come on, Gabriel. Let's go. I think we've put these fine gentlemen and Irvan through enough for one night."

"Going?" Gabriel asked. "Where?"

"I'll tell you on the way…"


	7. The Werewolf

Author's Note: Special thanks goes to Saerry Snape, aka Yoda-Girl, Aku Maru, the Patron Saint of Vampire stories, Amissa's quite simply just Amissa and doesn't need to be anything else and last but not least, Babbitt, aka my Goddess without whom, Remus wouldn't even be appearing. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" belongs to the Beatles, George Harrison if you must be picky, and um…well- enjoy and review or I'll stop writing. (Yeah, that'll work… --)

**Chapter Seven: The Werewolf **

"Can I ask you a question?" Gabriel asked as he stared at the back of Erised's head. They were climbing up the stairs to a small, unassuming apartment over a bookstore in Muggle London. The only way in was through an old, beaten wooden door that at one point was painted bright red but now resembled a dull grayish white as weather beat against the paint, causing it to peel and flicker off. He looked over at the door and at the old rusty brass knob and nodded thoughtfully. "What if it's locked?"

"You're kidding, right?" Ari asked as she pulled out her wand and gripped the handle with her other hand. She moved it and surprisingly, it opened without trouble. She frowned, unnerved and stepped in, half expecting the room to explode.

Although it looked like it already had. It was a small efficiency with a bed in the living area, a small kitchenette and a door that led to the bathroom. Old clothes littered the floor, mixing with half-filled bottles of booze that had the labels peeled off. There was an unmade bed that was covered with books that were opened to various pages concerning Dark Cults and monsters and over them a huge calendar that had the day of the full moon circled in red. On the nightstand beside the bed was a gun that lay serenely beside empty Chinese take-out boxes and pizza boxes.

Erised frowned as she walked over and looked at the gun. It was an old fashion revolver, like the kind Van Helsing carried. She pocketed her wand again and picked up the gun, surprised how heavy such an instrument weighed. She looked down the muzzle, frowning and jumped when Gabriel grabbed it from her.

"There's no safety on this thing." He said, shortly. "Be careful." She watched as he expertly opened the side, to check for bullets, nodding shortly. He looked back at her. "One bullet. Silver. Wonder who's that for." He put it back down and turned away, "Look around, I'll check the bathroom."

"Look around for what?" She began to ask.

"Never mind, he's in here." From his tone, Erised was worried for a moment that Remus Lupin had killed himself. She followed Gabriel in and then exhaled. "Do you think he's alright?"

Gabriel nodded simply. "Just sleeping it off." He said, motioning to the bottle of Whiskey. "When was he bitten?"

"As a child." She said, squatting down and picking up the empty bottles to throw them away. "He's had to deal with this all his life."

"He's so young." Gabriel remarked, mainly to himself.

Ari looked over. "That's all this war is being fought by…youngsters."

The boy in the bathtub looked barely old enough to be drinking, yet alone wanting to die from it. The tub was a scene of innocent and waste all at once: with water that came up to his chest and two rubber ducks that floated around him. He was handsome over all, with a narrow face that had shaggy brown hair that hung all ways. He was slender and almost frail looking and in his green shirt and brown corduroy pants, he looked like he could be a teenaged musician rather then some fearful creature of the night. Gabriel walked over to the side of the tub, and kneeled. This close he could see fine wrinkles around the boy's eyes, and small pale scars that adorned his arms at all parts. Inwardly, Gabriel faltered and wished for a moment to stand and leave him alone.

"Remus." Ari called instead, eyes cold and determined, and for a moment, Gabriel was certain she had sensed his wavering. "Remus Lupin?"

The boy stirred, sinking deeper into the water with a moan, and then rising as he prepped himself to wake. Slowly, his eyes opened to reveal wise, sorrowful amber eyes. He looked frightened for a moment, then turned to see Gabriel before looking back at Ari. "I thought I told Albus to leave me alone." He said. His small hands reached to the side of the tub to brace himself as he lifted himself out. Ignoring Gabriel and Ari, he walked over to the towel rack and leaned down to grab one of the towels that was piled under it. He threw the towel about his shoulders after he patted his face and then walked into the main room.

Ari gave Gabriel a look and followed. Remus was shirtless now, searching for something relatively clean to wear. He put on an oversized sweater and then began to peel off his pants. Ari blinked, made an embarrassed sound and then looked down to study her boots.

"I don't know why you're here." Remus began, as he zipped up his pants and then walked to the kitchenette. "But let me save the trouble of asking. No, I'm not going to help in anyway so leave me alone." He looked over the top of his fridge door at them, smirking. "But thanks for dropping by."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Ari began, looking up. "Only you can help us."

"Then you're both screwed out of luck, aren't you?" He kicked close the fridge door and picked up a guitar that was resting on the side of the table, putting the strap over his frame, he reclined into a chair and began to strum on the cords. He began to hum a Beatles song, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and for the first time looked sincerely at peace and comforted. Go figure, Gabriel thought, the Beatles make everything better.

By the end of the song, finally understanding that they were not going to leave, Remus looked up at Ari, then glanced at Gabriel. "Does he talk?"

"Without end, whether you want him to or not." Ari began, not looking at Gabriel. "Mr. Lupin, do you who Count Dracula is?"

"Bela Lugosi."

"Not that one."

"John Carridine."

"Remus…"

"No, I never was. I was always partial to the Wolf Man actually." Remus said thoughtfully. He stopped strumming, and smiled to himself as he remembered something. "Even a man who is pure in heart, and says his prayers at night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms…"

"…and the moon is shining bright or crave another's blood when the sun goes down, and his body takes to flight." Gabriel finished for him. Remus blinked, clearly unnerved as he set the guitar down and stared at her.

"So the rumors are true then?" He asked quietly. "He's really here?" Gabriel and Ari nodded softly at him. Remus exhaled, and looked around the floor for something. "I want pie." He deadpanned.

Ari blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Pie. There's a diner down the street. You can buy me breakfast and explain to me why on earth I, a disgraced exiled wolf, would want to help you."

And sure enough twenty minutes later, sitting in a corner of a bright red, black and white diner a Kaga, a Knight and a Werewolf sat eating various assortments of food. For the werewolf there was a small army of small white plates with every kind of pie that the diner had to offer, and beside them there was a bowl of vanilla ice cream for something he referred to as ala mode. Gabriel was currently chowing down on scrambled eggs, toast, coffee, and something white and grainy that he referred to as grits.

Ari watched with a small sign of disgust as he lobbed mounds of butter unto them, then stirred them with the mirth of a child receiving a mountain of Christmas presents. She decided then that she would never understand human behavior or their taste buds. Looking down at her water and bowl of tomato soup, her stomach turned and she looked away, pushing the bowl towards the center of the table with a grimace.

"Hey you ordered it." Remus said from between mouthfuls of Cherry and Chess pie.

Ari tried hard not to sneer as she blinked the sun out of her eyes. "I'm suddenly not hungry…"

"Okay then." Remus nodded, putting down his fork and looking over at her. He took a long drink of milk, before licking his lips. "How'd you piss off Count Dracula?"

"Crashed his party." She said, shortly. She looked over at Gabriel. "He's a Muggle, working for the Knights of the Holy Order, as an admirer of the Dark Arts…"

"Defense against the Dark Arts." Remus corrected, raising a finger. "Defense."

"Whatever, you should know what he is then…"

"Sure I do. They're the ones who employ that lunatic Van Helsing…they say he's even broken Rose Window of Notre Dame and that he cares nothing for tact. He'll kill as soon look at you…" Remus clearly was enjoying himself, turning to Gabriel. "Have you ever met him? I didn't catch your name…"

"I'm the lunatic." Gabriel replied, giving Erised a look over the brim of his coffee.

There was a long pause as Remus digested this information, and then he nodded ever so thoughtfully. "Awkward…"

"But you can call me Gabriel."

"Remus." He returned. "But you already knew that…" He looked over at Erised, as his face dropped his soft, childish demeanor. "Look, it's not like I support You-Know-Who, or any of his followers, but I can't help you…"

"Of course you can, you just have to be what you are."

"Thanks for the motivational speech but quite frankly I don't want to be what I am." Remus said as he stood. He looked suddenly tired and angry, and Gabriel felt his heart twist again for the boy. Remus kept looking at them from under his eyelids and looked pained at the prospect of walking away. Gabriel knew his type before; they were at heart good, decent men but scared for one reason or the other into inactivity. And again, Gabriel couldn't blame him and even prayed that there was another way. But there wasn't and he knew there wasn't.

So he was really going to hate what he had to do next.

"What if you change it?" Gabriel asked quietly, knowing Remus' attuned sense of hearing would catch the whisper. It worked too. The young werewolf paused, stiffened but didn't dare turn around. Gabriel could feel Ari's eyes on him and wished she would look away. He was already regretting this choice and would probably regret it for the rest of his life. "Dracula has a cure."

Remus' voice was just as low and Gabriel had to strain to hear it. "You're lying."

"I was bitten. That's the only way I was able to kill Dracula. I still have the scar if you don't believe me." Gabriel said, staring down at his plate. "Anna was able to give me the cure after I defeated him…but she died in the process."

Remus had turned now, and was staring hard at him for any sign of deception. The boy's young eyes were burning into him, displaying something that bordered on fearful hope and anguish. He didn't want to believe, to hope, but Gabriel knew that the promise of a cured life was too much to walk away from.

Gabriel pushed his plate away too. He wasn't hungry anymore either. "Well?" There was a long pause and for a moment Gabriel hoped Remus had seen through his bluff. He prayed that Remus would just say no and continue out of their lives.

But the boy didn't because now he had hope, however small it was, it was enough to force out three small, hushed words. "I'll help you."


	8. The Brides

Author's note: Unedited and complete with borrowed quote from The Rock, the movie not the wrestler. Hope you enjoy, and have fun!

**Chapter Eight: The Brides**

"I've decided." Eoin announced thoughtfully as he stood in the doorway beside Severus. Both men were staring into the darkened bedroom that Dracula had claimed. The Count was sleeping with a beautiful woman on each arm, each curled into his body with one arm extending over to caress the other's arms in slumber. "I want to be Count Dracula when I grow up."

"So do I." Severus nodded. "Where'd they come from?"

"No clue, but were do I get some?"

"Think they come with the title?"

"Sure, everyone digs a Count…"

"I want to be a Count." Snape said glumly, as he tilted his head the other way, admiring the curve of the one on the left side. "Got the stake?"

"Got the crucifix?"

"Yup."

Eoin looked over and shook his head before turning his full attention to the women on the bed. To say they were lovely would be a severe understatement and he knew innately somehow that he would have to call upon all of his discipline and skill as a Kaga to avoiding becoming dinner for these harpies.

Still, it never hurt to admire one's enemies.

The black woman on Dracula's right was finely built and the first to catch Eoin's attention, being as she was obviously the fighter of the two. Tall, regal and above all toned with the skill and precision of any soldier, this one had high cheekbones, thin nose, full lips and wide set eyes.  The fair one on Dracula's left was the lover of the group. Blond haired, and slender with a frame so thin she looked like a mighty wind could overtake her. Her hair was her most arresting feature; being long and thin, it trailed down her body to the small of her back.

"Aren't there suppose to be three of them?" He whispered to his counterpart. But it was not Severus' rich voice that answered him. It was Dracula's.

"There was."

Despite all their training, and all their combined prowess, Severus and Eoin still jumped like startled children when they heard Dracula respond. Thankfully, however, they were able to compose themselves before they darted from the room like scared rabbits. Dracula opened his eyes, and rose, beckoning them to come in. He smiled at them knowingly before speaking again, this time to the two women. "Tale, Fallon, rise and greet your admirers."

"But Master," Whispered the blond between a yawn and a long, catlike stretch. "We've flown all night to be near you and you would leave us so soon?"

"Quiet Fallon," Purred the other one, Tale by default, said as she stared hungrily at Eoin. The Kaga did something he had never done in his life: shiver. Tale's gold eyes smiled at this. "Master has brought us something warm."

"And handsome." Fallon cooed as she smiled at Severus.

Snape and Malone exchanged glaces then stepped back in unison. Dracula laughed, "You must forgive them, I had to leave them in Istanbul, and they haven't only just returned to me." He smiled coyly. "And they haven't fed."

"Ah-huh. Where's henchmen number three?" Severus asked, with only the softest bit of concern in his voice, as if he feared the bride would drop from the ceiling on them. Eoin even went as far as to look up just to check.

Dracula's face darkened, and his voice became low, pained but mockingly so, as if he only acted this way to appease his remaining brides. "Deiene was killed in Ankara by a Slayer."

"I'm sorry," Eoin whispered. He still wasn't like the way Tale was looking at him like he was a summer chicken.

Tale smirked. "Don't be."

"She was delicious." Fallon rejoined.

"We tore the Slayer apart." Tale by now had come to Eoin's waist.  Her hands had slid under his shirt to toy with his back. "Piece."

"By piece." Fallon completed. She too had claimed her dinner. One of her pale, bony hands was caressing Severus' cheek.

Snape smiled at her thinly. He pulled away, and placed a hand over his chest, where his heart rested before whispering in a cold, deadly voice. "Such a beautiful creature you are." He murmured. "I would hate to have to hurt that pretty little face of yours."

Fallon hissed and fell back. She looked fearfully at Tale and Dracula for some security and Tale came to her rescues, sweeping down beside Fallon and taking the blond into her bold arms. Tale began to whisper softly into Fallon's ear, kissing her cheek and petting her hair. Fallon began to purr and returned the action. Meanwhile Eoin was getting uncomfortable just watching, and presently he tugged on his collar.

"Can you tell him what you want to tell him?" He whispered to the Prince darkly. "So I can go?"

Snape smirked at him. "Unnerved, Companion?"

"A little, Prince."

"There's no need to be." Dracula announced as he returned to the bed, to have Tale and Fallon curl around him and begin to stroke his neck and chest. He smiled, eyes sliding close in pure ecstasy as he basked in the Brides company. "Now what do you have to tell me." 

"Just a friendly warning." Snape said, tugging on Eoin's arm to keep him close. "My sources have told me Van Helsing and his Angel have secured a werewolf…clearly they mean to do away with you."

Dracula nodded idly, clearly more engrossed with the prospect of a repeat performance of whatever had gone on between him, Fallon and Tale. "I have little cause to be concerned," Dracula said coolly as he leaned over to caress Tale's cheek with his lips. "I have already taken measures to address the situation."

Eoin was the first to react and in that detached, methodical way he dealt with things, he tackled this. "In what way did you address it?"

Severus turned, focusing on the Kaga. In was his not tone but his words that caught Severus' attention. Eoin was a quiet man with a passive, dull demeanor that never, _never _would have asked questions whose only answers would be gloating. Eoin cared little or the grand scheme of things, focusing only on the mission at hand, or his Charge's well being and the fact he was interested now told Severus he'd best pay attention.

Dracula smiled hungrily, "I have chosen Gabriel's Angel to take Deiene's place."

"Erised." Severus whispered, and the name tasted like ash in his mouth. He felt like he had been struck but he took care not to show it. Eoin, however, was not that controlled, the Kaga's hand flew to his wand, and Severus barely had time to catch his arm and favor him with his coldest glare "Excuse us, my Lord." Severus muttered, as he pushed Eoin into the hall.

Eoin allowed Severus to take him three doors down before exploding. "How dare you stop me?" He demanded. "You heard what he plans to do with my sister. I won't allow him to take her!"

"Calm down!" Snape hissed, glancing fearfully at the door in case Dracula heard. "You're talking treason."

"I don't care! I'll be damned before I let him…"

"You're already damned." He returned savagely, and then exhaled to calm himself. He looked up, into Eoin's expressive gray eyes, and ignoring the memories that came with them. "And if you wish to save your sister, you'll be patient. Ari is not a fool, and neither Gabriel, do you really think he'll allow harm to come to her?"

"What does he care of Erised?"

"He's a hero. They always care."

"How do you know?"

"Because I was one too." He whispered. "Once."

Eoin looked up. "I won't endanger her." He pulled his wand and made his way towards Dracula's suite.

Snape bowed his head, not turning. "You're being asked by one Prodigal to another."

Eoin kept walking.

"You're being ordered by your Prince." He never faltered, and Snape, pulling his wand, turned and aimed at Eoin.

Eoin stopped, and turned, looking at Severus with a cold, determined glare. "You'd have me sacrifice my twin for Voldemort's alliance."

"I'd have you be patient." He relaxed his wand, and tried his best to remain calm and compassionate. "I loved your sister, Eoin. But like you told me, we can't save her from this fight. We have to trust they will."

Eoin looked away, returning his wand and bowing deeply. "Kaga view Vampirism as a disease, a weakness and Erised will not tolerate such a fault. She'd die before she fell to that."

"Don't be boring." Dracula called as he entered the hall, looking at Eoin knowingly. There was a glint in his eyes as if he knew all and was amused. "Everyone who holds to that does end up dying."  He smiled, and motioned for the door. "Besides, I have assurances, Erised will come willingly."

"How can you be so sure?" Eoin seethed.

Another voice came, this one gentle and assured, familiar. Snape stepped back, wisely so, just as the person appeared. Isaiah smiled simply, calmly. "She already belongs to us. It's only stubbornness and her Kaga immunities that keep her from her rightful place. I haven't been able to turn her, but perhaps someone…" He turned and admired Dracula. "Stronger and older then I will be able too."

"You traitor." Eoin said, coldly. "You sold her out!"

This time Snape could not stop him for the Prince had been too engrossed in the study of this new Vampire. This was one of Daniel's children, and that had frozen Snape's thoughts, invoking memories he could not fight against. Against his will, he shivered. And it was only Eoin's pained scream that brought him out of it.

The Kaga was on his knees, one arm hanging limply, awkwardly at his side where Isaiah had broken it once he attacked. His other hand was pinned firmly behind his back, where the Vampire had it firmly. Dracula was laughing at the spectacle.   
            "Hungry ladies?" Isaiah asked, calmly as he turned to the women. "Enjoy!"

With one fell swoop, Isaiah had lifted Eoin from his place and thrown him to the Brides. Severus made a motion for Eoin but was held back by Dracula. "That would not be wise." Dracula warned.

"That is Voldemort's chosen!" Snape hissed. "If he dies, my Lord will blame you."

"Then hope his sacred Kaga immunity will save him." Dracula answered coldly, before motioning to Isaiah. "Now, let's go claim the Angel…"


	9. The Children

Author's Note: I give this story about two to three more chapters max before the end. Then I'll be able to focus on Name of God and Brothers Grim. I know I'm taking forever with Brothers, forgive me! Let's see, I'll give a cookie whoever can tell me who Norman Rockwell is. Egahs people, I feel so old if nobody knows this. Also, there's a small indirect allusion to "The First to be Eaten" by Hyphen which is the only Marauder writer outside of my friends (Who force them on me) I read. R/R

**Chapter Nine: The Children**

****

Gabriel stifled a yawn as he entered the lounge, trying unsuccessfully to blink out the sleep and shrug off the weariness of too much sleep. He yawned again and rubbed his eyes, before fully realizing the scene before him. And granted, once he did, he slumped against the doorframe and watched for a moment in silence. There were seven in the room, excluding him, and five of them were on the floor, Kuso, Simon and Remus included. Before each were piles of poker chips of various heights along with stacks of various sorts of cookies. Kuso even had two brownies and an éclair looking very pleased with himself and the hand he had been dealt. Remus had a small stack of chips and was eating a brownie. Irvan was reclining with his familiar drink, and a book, glancing over at them in disgust every so often. Beside him in another chair was a small woman who also was engrossed in a book, eating the cookies that Kuso would slip to her every once in a while.

"It's like a fucked up Norman Rockwell." Gabriel mused to himself.

"Gabriel! You're up, finally!" Remus called, looking up. "Help me! This Goth-wannabe is kicking my ass!"

"He's cheating!" Called one of the other poker players. She looked barely out of her teens with wild black hair spiked at all angles, dressed in torn blue jeans that were scribbled at all ends with permanent markers, and a black sweater that hung off her shoulders. She looked up, smirking at Gabriel and revealing her small fangs over her black lipstick. "Tell him he can't cheat!"

"I'm not cheating." Kuso said, "I'm an old hand at this game."

"You're a old hand at everything!" The girl whined playfully as she pulled out a solid red lollipop and popped it in her mouth. She looked up at him, smugly. "After this, I'm dragging your butt out to play Hackeysack!"

"Or Yo-Yos." Remus said, grinning. He scooted over a little and motioned to the rug with a grand gesture. He looked up, with a cold demeanor and grandiose voice meant to over dramatize things. "Come on, Gabriel…join the Dark Side. Come keep company with all us nefarious evil doers."

"Oh, oh yeah…" Simon said offhandedly as he put down two cards and tapped them. The Goth girl, the dealer, took them and replaced them with two others that from Simon's expression didn't help at all. "We're plotting the end of mankind as we speak."

"Attacking virgins, burning villagers…" Said other yet-as-unnamed Vampire. He looked up, shaking his head at the dealer, and brought his cards closer to his chest. "Singing show tunes."

"Now that's just cruel." Remus admonished.

Gabriel turned to Irvan who seemed the most likely to answer the question with least amount of jeers and jests. "Where's Isaiah?"

"Boo!" Came a chorus from the floor. Simon was glaring playfully, whist the unnamed girl and boy were making hissing noises and jeering. The girl kept referring to Isaiah as the Old Man, with the boy bringing up the rear calling him Papa Smurf. It was Kuso who waved a hand over them to quiet them. He looked up at Gabriel, grimly as if he had been at the mercy of these creatures for some time.

"Isaiah disappeared a while ago, about an hour or two after you went to sleep." He answered. He laid down the cards he was holding deftly and smiled smugly. "And Ari took off shortly afterwards, probably checking up with her contacts to find out anything about Dracula's whereabouts." He looked up, "Come on, Stella, stop drooling over Irvan and play your hand."

The girl in the torn jeans, now known as Stella, jumped nervously and against her will looked up at Irvan to see his reaction. The elder Vampire looked up, his eyes lingered on her for a while; brow arched like one would consider a strange insect before returning his attention to his book without a second glance. Gabriel felt his heart ache a little as Stella's face showed hurt and laid her cards down unceremoniously.

The other boy on the floor leaned over and nudged her playfully. "Don't worry, Stella. I still love you."

"Thanks Zachary." She murmured.

"Come here Stella." The other female called. She had set her book down, smiling at her. "I want to play with your hair."

Stella folded the cards and handed them to Remus before scooting over to replace Kuso by the woman's chair.

Gabriel was stuck about how innocent it all seemed. He glanced at a window, to look at the almost full moon as it retreated slowly under the horizon and the sky became purple with morning. He grimly remembered the nights before his Transformation, and winced from the memory of the pain that traveled through his fingers and joints. Against his will, he shuttered and looked at Remus.

He was started when he saw that Remus was watching him too. The werewolf tilted his head lazily and smiled gently. "It doesn't hurt that much after all these years." He offered. "But it's the restlessness that gets you."

"Tell me about it." Zach whined. He reclined in his place, resting on the balls of his fists. "We didn't get to eat tonight and I'm famished. Where are the others?"

"They'll come. You have to be patient." Simon answered. He looked up, smirking at Gabriel's curious frown. "Our harvesters haven't returned yet."

"Harvesters?"

"Their hunters." Irvan said, never looking up. "Isaiah has jobs allotted to different members of his clan. He has six hunters in charge of finding fresh blood."

Gabriel made a motion.

"He didn't say human. Just fresh." Stella whispered. Gabriel turned and saw there was a look of fear on her face as her eyes ran over the weaponry Gabriel had. Gingerly, Gabriel drew his trench coat over his frame, to hide the tools of his trade and regretting that he had frightened the young Vampire.

And a moment later, Gabriel's heart rebelled. He was a Knight of the Holy Order, and for him to have sympathy for such a monster; however young and fragile they appeared, would allow room for a weakness that could lead to his demise. He inhaled angrily. He was getting too attached to these Vampires. He was forgetting his purpose.

No, he thought to himself, it's not them he was attached to. He stopped short of actually thinking her name; afraid that once he did, it would cement something that could not be possible.

"Six Harvesters, Isaiah's your leader and what are you?

"They're the young." Simon called. "That's why they're left behind when everyone leaves like this."

"Everyone's gone?"

"Yeah, Ari said it probably wasn't safe for everyone to be congregated and asked for us to spread out for a while but Isaiah wanted the kids near, and I was stuck as the babysitter."

"I'm the oldest." Zachary chirped, proudly. "Forty." He shrunk down when he heard Irvan and Kuso chuckle. Looking at them, he blinked, and continued in a whisper devoid of his earlier pride. "Anyone under fifty is considered children in our clan."

"Clan." Irvan said, annoyed. "Hardly."

The children exchanged looks, and it was finally Simon that spoke, ignoring Irvan's dirty looks altogether and speaking with a soft, fatherly tone. "I'm sorry, I should probably warn you you're not exactly in High born country."

"You've been thrown into the backwaters of Wonderland." Stella purred, pulling her knees to her chest and folding her arms over her knees. The way she and the other children perked up looked like students getting ready for story time.

"We're mutts." Zachary called.

The girl in the chair smiled. "Vermin."

Remus looked over and gave the most useful description. "Mixed bloods."

"What?"

Kuso laughed. "They're products of a diluted bloodline, making them much weaker then those like myself and nonexistent to those like Irvan here." He made a motion to Irvan that the children caught and reacted to by huddling up together in the corner and casting shifty eyes at Irvan.

Gabriel bit down laughter as he heard words like the Big Cheese and Big Kahuna spoken in reference to Irvan and his superior bloodline.

Irvan put his book down, glaring at the kids and barely containing whatever statement was on the tip of tongue. He gave Simon a look telling him to contain his scourge. But to Irvan's dismay, it was not Simon who heeded the warning but Stella.

"Knock it off, guys." She said, punching Zachary's shoulder. "Irvan's a important man and doesn't need our sass."

Zach grinned, leaning closer to her. "And you have just what he needs, don't you?"

Simon rose and clapped his hands together. "Come on, guys. Let's go visit Delphi for a while."

The kids shuffled to their feet, groaning and talking amongst themselves. Zach turned to Remus. "Coming Fuzzball?"

"Naw, I got to stay here." Remus said, softly. "Delphi doesn't like me that much."

"It's cause you get furry. But hey, we're still cool." Zach walked out. "See ya!"

"Go on," Gabriel heard the other girl whisper to Stella. "I dare you."

Stella blinked at this serious adolescent challenge, nodded and then turned back. She walked briskly to Irvan's chair, staring at his book and muttering. "Goodnight, Chuckles." She whispered and before anyone knew it, she had leaned down and kissed his cheek.****

She was out of the room, laughing with the other girl before Gabriel had drawn his next breath. Kuso was holding in his laughter but his body was beginning to shake. Remus, not so genteel, was rolling on the floor his face bright red from the laughter.

Gabriel looked over at Irvan and in all seriousness, touched his cheek. "You got some lipstick…right there…"

Remus sat up, drying his eyes and smiling at Irvan. "Sorry, sir." He muttered rolling his back. "Its just Stella and Andrea were talking about that all day, and it's sweet that she finally got her kiss."

Gabriel laughed again and moved to the chair vacated by Andrea. He collapsed into it with a groan. He was about to say something when a shrill, sharp scream broke through his mind. He was on his feet and out the door before anyone else and regardless of what his heart said; he felt nothing but sheer horror at the scene he greeted.

On the floor, lying prone and awkward was Stella. A deep red pool was flowing around her slender body and her face was turned upward, with a look of utter shock still frozen onto her features.

"Stella…" Gabriel heard Irvan whisper beside him.

"I'm sorry." Called a voice from above them. "Did she mean something to you?"

Gabriel looked up on the wall where two women were crawling downward like spiders. They jumped away from the wall and curled into each other embrace, arms overlapping around their backs and favoring him, Irvan, Kuso and Remus with coy, unnatural smiles. He gritted his teeth, hands falling to his guns. "Dracula's brides?"

"Prefect." Kuso retorted under his breath. "How are you on fighting without the fur, Remus?"

Remus swallowed, nodding. "But there was nothing about Brides in the contract."

"Sorry."

"No problem. I just expect pie."

"Shut up, all of you." Irvan demanded, turning to the Brides. "Where are the other children?"

The stronger of the Brides smiled. "The Angel took them."

Gabriel felt his stomach seize up. No, he screamed in his head. Let it be some twisted ploy, let it be some game anything but the truth. Do not let it be so, he prayed, do not let Fate had damned another.

"You should have heard them screaming." Whispered a voice as the shadows retreated and revealed Erised walking towards them.

It was her but at the same time something foreign and unfamiliar. Gabriel wondered briefly if it was another of her skins that she would shed any moment now. But somehow, someway he knew it would not be true. She had changed, utterly and completely. She was lost now.

And he had failed her.

"You bitch." Irvan whispered once more, before throwing himself towards her.

Ari was not prepared for the assault and she was thrown under him, sliding across the carpet and screaming as she used all her might to force him away from her. Irvan would allow no release. He growled, part in frustration and righteous anger and lifted her from the floor to throw her against the wall.

He would have gone after her again, had he not been thrown from his place as the blond Bride took flight and grabbed Remus to use him as projectile. The young wolf howled, jumping back up and charging after the black Bride.

Ari had gotten to feet by now. She pulled her wand, and was watching the scene with interest for a moment before shouting. "Fallon, take the man, Tale, the boy and the vampire."

Gabriel barely had time to duck as the blond Vampire swept towards him, digging her talons into his shoulders. He cried out and fired wildly.   
"Remus, watch out!" Kuso yelled. "Those are silver."

"Clever boy." Ari said, advancing on Kuso. She tucked her wand into the back of her hand and bowed slightly. "But you shouldn't ruin my game!" She shouted and charged.

Kuso stumbled back from the first punch, and then returned the favor. Gabriel heard something snap in Ari's body and winced. Ari howled in pain, and threw a fierce swipe at him. Surprisingly, Gabriel heard Kuso's pain voice and turned just in time to see the glint of Ari's dagger. She had taken a light swipe at him, grazing his chest just enough to tear the cloth. Ari smiled a slight manic grin.

"Come on, my beautiful boy." She purred. "I love it rough."

Kuso narrowed his eyes, reaching out and grabbing Erised with one massive hand by the throat. He squeezed until Erised gasped in pain, and then threw her against the wall to pin her there, steadily.

And in the second, Kuso could have used to break her neck. He faltered.

Fallon shrieked and flew back towards Kuso and Ari, intent on saving her newest sister. Gabriel took aim, breathed and fired. She screeched and swooped lower. Switching weapons, he took his crossbow and fired four arrows in rapid succession. Each met its mark, tearing through the membrane of Fallon's wings and forcing her to land, and return to her human form. She fell to her knees, cradling her bleeding stomach.

Tale had Irvan at bay with her grip firmly around Remus' neck. On her cold, serious face was a grim, smug smile. She had her cheek pressed close to Remus' and the smile grew as her eyes slid close. "So warm…such a tasty meal."

"Trust me. You don't want me." Remus coaxed, swallowing. "I'm stringy. I do have a friend however who has more muscle…James Potter. I can introduce you two sometime."

"Perhaps later." Tale whispered. "We're leaving." She threw him forward, towards Irvan and took flight. Swooping down to pick up Fallon, Tale rose to the heavens and disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

When Gabriel turned around again, Erised had gotten free of Kuso. Gabriel was certain for a moment that she would change herself into one of damned creatures and forever destroy herself. Instead, she merely looked at him with a distant, unfamiliar gaze and took steps backwards, purposely dropping the dagger she held in her hand and disappearing.

"She Apparated." Remus whispered. "I don't understand. Why didn't she just fly?"

"Because she's not a Vampire." Kuso said, as he walked over to the dagger and picked it up with a cloth. He folded it in the white handkerchief and held it out for Gabriel. "Not yet at least."

"I don't understand." Gabriel whispered, softly. "I thought she was immune."

"She is. To the pull, I never said she was incapable of becoming a Vampire." He looked away, as if trying to understand the situation as much as Gabriel was. He bowed his head and touched one of his scars thoughtfully. "We're running out time."

"We can't do anything until tonight." Remus said, motioning to the sun. "Sun's just come up. I'm of no use to anyone."

"But we can figure out where to go." Gabriel said. He turned to Kuso. "Are you in?"

"Do you even have to ask that question?" The Vampire asked before turning to walk out the front door. "Irvan, let's go…" he stopped and turned. "Irvan?"

Irvan was squatting down before Stella's prone body, watching it intently. For a long time no one moved or spoke as he studied the body at rest. Gingerly, he reached over and touched Stella's cheek with the tip of his fingers, brushing the corner of her mouth and tilting his head.

Then, without ever uttering a word, Irvan stood, ignoring the others, and walked silently out. The others exchanged glances before they followed suit.


	10. The Svengali

Author's Note: It's attack of the shameless filler! Let's see, I'm sure I ripped from someone: my RP buddy first dubbed Ari "Wings" so apologies to her and to Alex for ripping it and giving it Isaiah. Nancy Springer's I am Mordred inspired this chapter, as did the Alamo. Heh, enjoy and review.

**Chapter Ten: The Svengali **

Dracula became aware of his Brides' presences before they appeared and despite himself, he stood to walk to the French doors. He ignored the Prince's curious stare and Isaiah's pause in pacing. They didn't matter. Fallon was in pain, deep terrible pain that brought tears to his eyes and forced him to look away to avoid appearing weak towards the Dark Prince or the clan leader Isaiah. Reaching out with his will, he took Fallon and comforted her as best he could, while at the same time feeling Tale's anger and feeding that. He would have his revenge for what Gabriel, and the renegades Vampires had done to his bride.

And finally, he could feel Erised. Her will was still resisting him but he could sense her despair. She was losing, and she knew it. Dracula smiled smugly. He reached out again, into her mind and taking the information he needed. Her mind was screaming in protest from this violation and he could feel her anger coupled with the memory before. First, men had taken her body without her consent, now he was taking her soul.

Dracula almost pitied her.

But, that didn't matter, for her will was already conforming to his. She offered up her knowledge for his pleasure and his use: Gabriel had tapped a werewolf to combat him, and the renegades that had challenged him were scattered. According to his wishes, the Brides had attacked the Hotel, and slaughtered the children…

_No…_

Dracula growled in frustration as he spun about as the two brides flew into the window, returning to their human forms and bowing before him. Tale stood as soon as the bow was complete and steadied Fallon who was too weak to raise. Finally, Erised appeared, standing and looking directly into Dracula's eyes.

"You've betrayed me. I ordered their punishment and you failed me."

"I will not slaughter innocents for your whim." She whispered softly.

Dracula waved his hand dismissively at her. Ari seized up, paling as she fell to her knees, cradling her stomach and screaming from the pain that Dracula flooded her with. Dracula glanced back towards his guests, curious. Although no reaction could be seen behind the alabaster mask, the Dark Prince had made stopped himself just shy of intervening between Dracula and Ari. Isaiah was more contained, having not moved at all but his face shone with his disgust.

He ignored them, forcing instead on Ari and turning his voice momentarily cold. "You no longer have a choice, do you understand? All your answers and all your dreams are what I say they are, daughter. From now on...you are mine. Understand?"

Ari shuttered and choked out the words that came. Dracula could feel her will already bowing to his, her eagerness to please her Master. "Forgive me…"

Dracula released her from the pain and kneeled down to pick her up. Folding her into his arms, he kissed her deeply, soothing her through the power of his will. She smiled and pressed closer to him.

"Forgive me, Master." She murmured. "Please tell me you forgive me. I'll do whatever you wish next time…please."

He laughed as he petted her hair. "Forgiven, my Angel."

The Dark Prince rose from his seat and turned away, walking to close the curtains of wide windows. There was no emotion that escaped from his mask but turning back, he stared at Ari's head for a moment, before looking up to Dracula and speaking warningly. "Touching. But if you can pull yourself from your slave long enough, Rene, my Lord demands answers."

"I'm busy." Dracula said, carefully. He turned away from Ari, but allowed her to wrap her arm around his waist before motioning for Isaiah to rise. Tale had helped Fallon up and presently both brides edged closer to their Master. "You can tell the Dark Lord I am doing what he wants. Eoin was merely a tragic victim of war."

Ari's voice was barely above a whisper. "Eoin?"

"He was trying to save you." The Prince replied. He turned to Isaiah. "But this one fed him to the Brides. He lies near death in his home now."

Ari turned, staring a long time at Isaiah. No emotion passed over her face, or in her eyes but Isaiah stepped back and looked down. Ari swallowed, and turned back to Dracula. "It doesn't matter." She told the Prince, leaning up and kissing Dracula passionately. "Nothing else matters outside my mission." There was a small beat. "And my orders."

Isaiah rose now, staring hatefully at Dracula. "What was the order?" He demanded.

Dracula looked over and smiled. He had Isaiah exactly where he wanted him. Now, he would teach the Vampire a lesson for daring to attempt to double-cross him. Turning back, he motioned to Ari. "Tell him."

Ari lifted her chin, "The Master knows that Gabriel and I have secured the rouge werewolf, Remus to attempt to defeat him. To that end, Master arranged for me to attack the Grand Marquis in order to draw your clan and the others out. St. Michael will plant the necessary information to bring them to a location of my Master's choosing. And then it will be time to end this game of hide-and-seek."

Isaiah's face became haunted as he struggled to find words that didn't dare appear. "What sort of attack?"

"Stella's dead." She whispered, looking down and finally pulling away from Dracula. "But don't worry. She'll have company soon."

"It's a trap." Isaiah whispered, glancing at the Dark Prince. "What of the non-aggression pack? I have Voldemort's word my clan would not harmed…"

"I didn't harm them. Dracula did." The Prince whispered carelessly, motioning to the Count. "If you're mad, blame him."

Isaiah made a motion to turn away, but at the last moment he double backed, throwing Dracula and swatting with one hand. Startled, the Prince, jumped back just in time, throwing his hands up in surrender and grinning under his mask. Ari had also jumped away, towards the Prince, and threw out her arm in front of the Prince. To protect the Prince, or keep him from joining, Dracula didn't know but it didn't matter, in the next beat Fallon and Tale had jumped towards Isaiah pulling him off. Fallon hissed and struck at Isaiah's neck like a tiger, ripping at the throat and pulling away with a triumph howl.

Isaiah was on his knees, struggling for air, hand to his throat as if he was trying to keep the blood from gushing forward. He forced himself to his feet, forcing out the words fueled by sheer hate. "They'll kill you."

"Perhaps, but you won't see it." Dracula whispered. "Tale, bring him. I'm sure the Dark Lord can keep him for a day till I'm through with his clan. Then he'll be free to go."

"What about our arrangement, Wings?" Isaiah whispered to Erised, "In your Master's grand plan, where do I fit into the deal?"

Ari paused, looking up. "It's been altered. Pray nothing else changes."

There was nothing on Isaiah's face for a moment, nor would it change when he was hauled to his feet, with each arm taken by a Bride. He seemed to no longer care about his injury or even the fate of his friends. Instead, he was just watching her, with a calm dispassionate look that bordered on pity and disgust. "I should have seen this coming." He whispered. "Love like yours is bought and traded after all."

"What we had was never love." She countered.

"But you do love me." He told her. "Whatever sin it is, you love me."

Ari glanced at the Prince and turned away. "Master, please take him away."

"I will; Angel and you should rest." Dracula assured her. He bowed slightly to the Prince then motioned for Tale and Fallon to bring him as they walked away. "This is your last day as a human. Prepare."

A moment after Dracula left, Erised fell to her knees in front of the Dark Prince, cradling her stomach and sobbing. The Prince stepped back; watching for a long tortured moment as she shook, and released a torrent of emotion she could not display while Count Dracula controlled her. Now, without, the emotions came unbarred and spooked the Prince who had never seen her weak.

"My love," She sobbed, "My love, forgive me. I'm not strong enough to defeat Dracula…I can't control myself. He owns me and I can't get free. Forgive me, my love." Severus flinched and for a moment thought to react. But the moment of weakness had passed somewhat, as Erised straightened up and looked up at the Prince, with dry red eyes. "I know you." She said simply.

He withdrew again, tilting his head. She could not know that under this mask hid Alexander Rouge, the great Morning Star and Miracle Maker. She could not know that her lover was not hidden and transformed. If she did, everything would change.

"You are he who makes the nations tremble." She told him. "And if there is any mercy within you for me, you'll save me now when I need you the most. I do not want this but I can't fight it."

"What would ask of me?" He whispered softly.

Ari touched her chest softly, over her heart. "Strike this."

"Your heart?"

"It's never been much use to me anyways." She said, gently. "But if it's breaking can save me from hell, then destroy it. You've done it before."

The Dark Prince blinked and turned away from her. "I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter. Just please, release me."

"I cannot." He told her gently. "I need you alive." That said, the Dark Prince drew to his full height, pulled his cloak around him so it rippled like dark water and turned and walked away.

"I want to know where the hell she is!"

Remus blinked and stared at the Headmaster's door, which he, Gabriel, Irvan and Kuso had been waiting outside for a few minutes, debating about leaving or entering but finding themselves unable to pull themselves from listening in on an interesting rant. Remus looked over at Gabriel for the umpteenth time and for like he had all the other times, Gabriel merely shrugged and motioned to the doorknob. He clearly wasn't going to do it. In truth, neither was Remus. The wolf looked at the Vampires, expectantly.

Kuso shook his head and mouthed, "Not a chance."

Irvan grunted, and pushed pass the others, forcing open the door and walking in. The others exchanged glances and followed. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, and looked up, smiling as he raised his hands to greet them as if had been expecting them for a while now. Knowing Albus, he probably had.

The man who had been yelling had stopped pacing and turned to stare at them. Gabriel was the first to notice he had drawn his wand and was tapping his thigh with it. The man was attractive, with a narrow face, long nose and short cropped brown hair peppered by gray around the ears. His eyes were bright and hazel and were watching them with a curious, thoughtful look.

"Friends of yours?" He asked Albus.

Remus blinked. "Severus? Is that you?"

"Sometimes." The man offered warily. "How do you know Snape?"

"How do you know him?"

Dumbledore cleared his voice. "Jean Andre Lafayette, meet Remus Lupin, Gabriel Van Helsing and…"

"Friends." Irvan stated. Kuso gave a soft smile and nodded in affirmation.

Albus nodded, smiling. "More of Erised's friends."

"More Vampires." Jean Andre said, annoyed. He turned away from them and grunted. "That's all she's been sending me lately."

"Sending you?" Remus asked. "You've talked to her, when? What happened?"

"I received word early last night to provide safe haven to some guests of hers...come to find out, I'm harboring three Vampires who are hysterics because another Vampire has been killed! And another thing, how the hell are you two walking in the daylight?"

"The children." Irvan said, falling into a seat. "They're safe."

"I knew she couldn't have hurt them." Kuso said, grinning. "She cared too much for them."

"Erised, caring for Vampires?" Jean Andre scoffed. "You're mistaken...but back to the daylight thing."

"Where do you think she got all her love bites from, partner?" Kuso countered. "And lie down before you hurt yourself."  
  
"Amateur." Irvan muttered.

Gabriel walked closer to Albus' desk, to study the human. It was then he caught sight of a medallion over Andre was wearing. An Angel poised to destroy a dragon that he had underfoot. "You're wearing a St. Michael's pendant."

Jean Andre tucked the necklace in, nodding. "Yeah, and?"

"That's how she sent you you're information, is it? Through St. Michael's contacts…"  
  
"She sure doesn't pick her contacts for their brains, does she?" Irvan muttered.

"Listen, Fangs..."

Jean Andre looked over to Albus who gave him a long, pleading look. The man inhaled to quiet this temper. Begrudgingly, he turned back to Gabriel and nodded. "I am a Kaga from Hecate. I work as a go-between for Michael sometimes to run information between Albus and Hecate, and find what I can from the Underworld."

"When did you last hear from Erised?"

"A couple of hours ago. She sent me a letter, telling me to bring Albus to the location she indicated. She didn't say why."

"It's a trap." Remus announced, looking to the Vampires. "Dracula's after Dumbledore."

"No." Irvan said. "It's too obvious. Michael doesn't work in obvious."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not Dracula planning this." He said, turning his head as if someone were watching him over his shoulder. He was quiet as he studied the room, then Jean Andre and then Dumbledore. He glanced at Kuso for a long time too. "It's Ari."

"Wait a minute," Jean Andre interrupted angrily. "Dracula? Ari? What the hell is going on?"

"Dracula and the Dark Lord formed an alliance." Gabriel looked up at Jean. "Ari and I were sent to kill Dracula but she…was lost."

Jean Andre's face lost its color. "No, that's not possible…"

"I agree." Kuso said lightly. "But it looks that way."

"I don't believe it." Jean Andre said. He turned to Albus. "You can't believe this. Ari's a Kaga…your Companion. She wouldn't have betrayed you."

"Exactly." Irvan said, simply. "Just like she didn't betray the children. Not fully anyways."

"I don't understand." Gabriel asked.

"Look at it," Irvan said. "Suppose for a moment Ari is in control of her actions, and try to think like she would. She needs us to confront Dracula, so she needs our attention. She attacks the Hotel, and kills one of the children, knowing we'll go after. She knows we'll need a location so she sends the other children to Jean here, knowing he'll come to Hogwarts for answers. She also knows Gabriel would come here if she were compromised, looking for answers as well."

Remus looked startled. "She's playing us. Moving us around like chess pieces!"

Kuso was staring at his hands for a long time. "Baiting us into actions, playing on emotions, and moving it all into place." He looked up, licking his lips. "Irvan's right…wow, that sounds awkward. This is all Erised. Dracula will know to await us, and who knows who else will there?"

"So what do we do?" Remus asked.

Gabriel was watching Albus for answers. Although the Headmaster was younger then Gabriel by many years, he had long since accepted that Albus was wiser then he would ever be. Dumbledore had a way of understanding the world he could never possess, and because of that, he matters of the heart and Albus could sooth and comfort horrors no one else could even fathom.

"This could be a deliberate trap for you." Albus agreed at last. Gabriel felt his heart sink until he heard Albus speak again. "But this could also be a cry for help. She will fight for as long as she can, but this is a fight she will lose without your help." He looked down. "Go now, and they're be ready and waiting for you. Wait, and you'll lose the chance to save her."

"We'll also lose the window of opportunity for me to stop this threat before it gets any bigger." Remus said, suddenly. He glanced at Albus and shrugged. "Wouldn't want to miss out on being the hero, now would I?" He turned to the others. "What'll it be boys? Want to go play Alamo?"


	11. The Judas

Author's Note: The Beatles own Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (it's about a painting, I swear!) Enjoy and review.

**Chapter Eleven: The Judas**

"You know it's funny." Remus said softly as he followed Gabriel, Irvan and Kuso up the stairs towards the flat, shelled out ruins of the Cathedral de San Michel.

This building had once had the typical, beloved history most churches had so near the French border. It had been built in the early 1800's, and had been dedicated by the Archbishop. At the height of it's glory, San Michel had a flock over two hundred and a small abbey right behind her main church. There was a small overgrown pauper's cemetery within eyeshot where gray crosses lined up in various stages of decay. The church itself was gutted, bombed out by the Germans during WW2, with only two walls still standing over it's flat foundation. San Michel served now as a meeting point for would be cultists and wayward children who skipped classes to come and play among the old skeleton.

Kuso, being the closest to Erised, knew immediately why she picked it. The place invoked emotion and mood, and for her, a Kaga unaccustomed to passion, she naturally favored places that could make her feel. "What's funny?"

"I always thought I'd be afraid to die…I'm kind of calm."

"Oh?" Gabriel asked, looking back at him and smiling.

Remus nodded. "Yeah." There was a soft smile on his features that belied his youth. "I mean come on, how epic can you get? We're going to face one of the darkest evils that exist. We're fighting on an abandoned church…under what will be a full moon. Cue the music and chants in Latin, I'm going out a hero."

"Quit being naive." Irvan muttered, then shook his head sadly. "Godric's finest to the rescue."

Remus glanced over, more curious then offended. "How'd you know I was in Gryffindor?"

"Suicidal tendencies run within the House." Irvan said, shortly.

Gabriel put his arm around Remus' shoulders. "Don't listen to him." He told the young wolf. "You're already a hero…and you won't die tonight."

"Should we leave you two alone to finish the inspirational speech?" Kuso asked softly. "I know humans tend to get touchy during those things."

"Naw, I'm good." Remus chirped happily. "But I have a song stuck in my head…"

"Oh?"

They had reached the top of the stairs now and staring across the flat stone Remus seemed to get an idea. Shrugging out of his beaten demin jacket (which he tossed near the stairs) the youth ran towards the center and began to bounce around in the fading daylight, singing at the top of his lungs.

"Picture yourself in a boat on the River… With tangerine trees and marmalade skies." He sang clearly despite his actions. "Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly, a girl with kaleidoscope eyes…'

Gabriel was laughing now and shrugged as if dismissing his aversions physically. "Cellophane flowers of yellow and green, towering over your head."

Remus looked back and smiled, taking a slight bow. "Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes, and she's gone…" He paused and did a riff on his air guitar. "Lucy in the sky with diamonds!"

"How touching." Irvan said thoughtfully.

Kuso nodded and sighed, sitting down on the steps and began to pop his knuckles. "A serenade." He swallowed, glancing around at the old stones and smiling gingerly.

"How can you be smiling?" Irvan demanded between sour looks and mouthed curse words. "We were supposed to be statesmen, not fighters."

"Think of this as…aggressive handling of the situation."

"Not amusing."

"Follow her down to a bridge by a fountain where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies," Remus hummed. He had stopped bounding around and was merely pacing in a tight circle, admiring the purple sky. His face was becoming drawn, his eyes nervous and his hands had been stuffed into his jean pockets to avoid shaking. "Everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers that grow so incredibly high. Newspaper taxis appear on the shore waiting to take you a…" The word was broken off by a sharp, pained gasp.

Gabriel tensed, his face haunted as he watched Remus struggle for air. He made a movement towards the boy, not really thinking why or what. He knew there was nothing he could do to help the boy, but it didn't stop him from wanting to scream in desperation to help him. Again, he took a step forward.

"No!" Remus forced out, between screams of pain and choked sobs. He was gasping for air that would not enter his lungs. "Don't come closer!"

Gabriel had meant to ignore that order till he felt Irvan's hand gripping his arm. The Vampire looked at him with those hematite eyes that made Van Hesling's resolve wavier for a moment. "Listen to the man." Irvan said shortly.

Gabriel watched Irvan for a moment then reluctantly agreed. He turned away and stared hard at the walls, attempting with no avail to drown out Remus' screams as they became less human and more beastly. He felt like he was losing something close to his heart that he could not control and he was angry. Despite the truth, Gabriel knew Remus was still only a boy. And this boy was not a monster. He found himself wondering how could God, in His infinite mercy, allow such a boy be overtaken by such evil. How could a merciful Father allow such evil to spread to such a boy- and at such a young age.

Then, in the next beat, he wondered how God could make children into soldiers. How God, in all His wisdom, allowed innocents to be breed, trained, drugged and drilled into emotionless creations that knew only of their Charge. There was nothing good or beautiful about the Kaga, Gabriel realized, only imperfection and inhumanity. In the end, they were just another type of monster.

And his job was to hunt Monsters.

Swallowing down this, Gabriel composed himself. It made things easier now that they were once again in black and white. Irvan seemed to sense this change, releasing his arm and stepping away before turning towards the newly birthed wolf.

"So," He began casually. "How are you suppose to keep that thing from us and on target?"

"Well," Called the familiar voice. "I know I for one am always up to see a good Chuckles beating."

Irvan growled as he looked up, and searching for the voice. Kuso had risen too, being somewhat bolder, and stepping closer to the center and searching. Gabriel pulled his crossbow, and brought it closer.

"I can't say I'm surprised by Gabriel's reaction." Ari continued from her hiding place. Her voice was bouncing from place to place by Charm, and she seemed to be greatly amused by her own cleverness. "But Kuso, I am hurt…are you going to try and kill me now?"

"If need be."

There was a long pause. Remus had began growling fiercely at the far corner, the hair on his back standing at end, preparing himself to fight with whatever shadow he had deemed his enemy. For a moment, his actions distracted them and in the next moment, Ari appeared only a few steps below them on the stairs. Gabriel reacted first, firing his crossbow. She sidestepped it quickly, jerking up her hand to avoid being grazed by the sleeve and staring at the arrow as it impaled itself into the steps.

"You missed." Irvan deadpanned, disbelievingly. "How could you miss? I thought we talked about your aim."

"I forgot." Gabriel muttered and took aim again.

"Don't. Please." Ari whispered, suddenly. She raised her arm and reached towards them but recoiled as unsure. She looked tired, and very frightened as she attempted to move closer to them, then retreated as she stared at the ground, and back to Gabriel. "Holy ground." She muttered.

"Ari…" Gabriel breathed.

"Help me." She whispered, and turned back as if the wind had frightened her "Please help me before he comes."

"Shoot her." Kuso said, suddenly.

Ari's eyes darted to Kuso in terror then back to Gabriel. "Gabriel…please. Help me…I can't come to you…he's too strong."

"Shoot." Kuso said softly but sternly. "Her."

"Don't listen to him, Gabriel…" She pleaded, her voice breaking now. She folded her arms around her stomach and began to step farther down the stairs. "Please, Gabriel…I'm frightened."

Gabriel shut his eyes, and pulled the trigger. This time the arrow hit it's mark. She screamed, and fell to her knees, cradling the arrow that had impaled her side, just shy of missing her liver. She half-screamed, half-howled in anger before looking up with a cold stare. "That wasn't very nice." She whispered.

"No it wasn't." Gabriel and the others spun about to come face to face with the gold sliced eye of the Dark Prince. Gabriel barely had time to recognize his partner as Jack the Ripper before he was thrown back from the hex.

Straight into Erised's waiting embrace.

Remus bounded forward, charging towards the Prince but the Ripper had already drawn two blades, and jutted them forward, ripping through fur and skin with her left as she spun about, preparing to use her stronger right. The Prince had pulled away in the opposite direction, and was thrown back as Remus howled in pain then resumed his attack. Kuso had thrown himself towards the Ripper, fangs bared, and recoiling as she struck out. He swatted at her right hand, unarming her and then swung about slamming his weight into her and spending her sprawling.

Ari had throw Gabriel off and pulled out his arrow, flipping it around and swinging it like a shiv. Her body was reacting to the wound, and Gabriel knew that she would bleed out if nothing were to be done. But he wasn't exactly in a position to help her. She charged again, driving the arrow through the arm just under the skin. It was a superficial wound but a painful one and Gabriel stumbled back gripping the arrow but unwilling to pull it out. Ari was glaring at him, then looking up for a split second, she dived forward, throwing him to the ground just as the sound of powerful wings swooped over them.

Gabriel looked up as the hell beast landed behind them transforming back into Rene Dracula.

Ari swung off, pulling the arrow out of Gabriel's arm as he screamed in pain. She looked up, giving him a long look then turning away, just as Tale swept into view and grabbed Gabriel away from her.

Rene was smiling walking towards Irvan in his fine robes and pushing away a lock of his hair from his handsome face. He grinned softly, did a slight bow and offered his hand. "I never got a dance." He whispered.

Irvan's reaction was quick and fierce. He threw a punch which Rene side-stepped, one arm tucked behind his back and doing a slight waltz. His dance was short lived as Irvan countered, throwing his weight into a gut punch that fell Rene.

Kuso became aware of the wall a moment after he hit it. Grunting he pulled himself to his feet, winced as he heard Remus give an unnatural howl and then turned back. "…let me guess," He forced out with more mirth then he felt. "Lovely but deadly and terribly devoted to your beau?"

The Bride smiled and nodded, thoughtfully.

"Just my luck…all well, new plan." He took a swing to which she flew back, away from him. He smiled, and struck, again to meet only air. "Cute birdie." He grimaced.

"Come and get me, pretty boy." The Bride cooed. "My beautiful Caesar."

"Caesar was Roman." He told her and moved forward, keeping the punched coiled till she had jumped then slamming against her womb. Fallon shrieked and was thrown to the floor. He smiled, and nodded. "There. Much better."

Fallon jumped back to her feet, waiting for the Ripper to do the same then charging towards Kuso again. Remus was thrown as the Prince rolled away from the wolf. The Prince jumped to his feet and shrugged out of his coat, glaring at the shredded clothing, then looking up.

"It never fails!" He growled under his mask then was thrown back as Remus attacked. "Why do you want to kill me?!" He demanded of the wolf before pulling his wand and hexing him. "I'd hate to kill you before you proved useful to me."

Kuso looked over, frowning. "Useful, Prince?"

"What?" The Dark Prince began, pulling away from the wolf and motioning for the Ripper to pause in her pursuit. "Think I want him around?"

Jack looked over, "What are you plotting, my Prince?"

"I think it's time to end this game, don't you?" He said, then pulled his wand and nodding. The Ripper made a quick movement holding out a knife for him while diving and pushing Kuso out of the way, allowing the Prince a clear shot. The Prince grabbed the knife by the blade and flipped to grasp the hilt and slamming towards Fallon's chest.

"Fallon!" Dracula cried, pushing off Irvan and flying towards the church ground, ignoring whatever taboo might have prevented him. The Bride shrieked and fell to her knees, gripping at the dagger in her chest. He landed before her, and reached out to touch her cheek but stopped shy of actually caressing her skin. His face was torn in despair. She looked up into Dracula's eyes, "Master…I love…"

Dracula rose, stepping back and staring in pure horror as she melted beneath the kill-wound. Tale and Ari had released Gabriel, staring in pure shock. Dracula shut his eyes for a long moment before howling with fury beyond imagination.

"You've betrayed me!" He shouted at the Prince.

The Dark Prince had taken a step back from the howl, then nodded after a beat. "Ye-ah, I did…but check out my history sometime. I'm the original Judas."

He raised his wand, aimed and shouted. "Imperio!" Gabriel watched as Ari seized up and fell to her knees. She looked up, meeting the Prince's eyes, and waiting.

Dracula had turned about, intending to call upon his Brides and then staring in disbelief as his will battled the Prince's. He could feel Ari resisting him now, and willingly curving towards the Prince. He forced deeper into her psyche then until her mind gave him the information he needed. She loved the Prince, and would submit willingly to him. He felt Ari being pulled from his control and a second later, he saw the Prince remove the spell.

"You asked for release." The Prince told her, "Now take it!"

Ari's action was quick and brutal. She readjusted her grip on the arrow, jumped to her feet and plunged it into Tale's chest.

"There, the odds are better now." The Prince said, now directed to Gabriel. He grabbed the Ripper by her waist and pulled her closer. "In this, do not fail."

That said, he and the Ripper Apparated. Dracula, now abandoned, swung about and stared wild-eyed around him. He stepped back and spread his arms out as if he meant to escape. Three clear shots from Gabriel's crossbow pierced through Rene's hands and one of his legs, forcing him to stumble back, unable to cope for a second.

And the second was all Remus needed to react. The wolf threw back his head to howl before pouncing on the Count.

Gabriel felt his whole body shake and he forced himself to turn away. One hand tucked over the other, playing with a small silver ring on his hand and remembering. There was a stir beside him, causing him to turn and regard Erised. She was slumped over, cradling herself and with a dead look that clouded her features and touched them with pain. She looked like she wanted to scream but no longer had the strength to do so. So unable to find release, she forced herself to watch the grisly scene before her.

Gabriel took a step towards her, kneeling. "Erised?"

"My love." She whispered, not acknowledging him. "Isaiah…" Her eyes closed, and she slumped forward, into his arms. No tears, no sobs, just the total desperation that came with enlightenment and understanding of what had to be sacrificed to complete this terrible mission. "Isaiah…"

"Where is he, Ari?"

"He's…" She broke off, and clung to him. No longer finding the strength to trust herself to remain composed, she went silent. And Gabriel, knowing no other means to help her, put his arms around her.

"It's okay." He lied to her. "It's over."


	12. The Monster

Author's Note: My first crossover is over!! Yeah!! Hope you enjoyed this. Have to admit it was fun working with the Prince again (be it that he was in a small role.) Yesterday belongs to the Beatles. Irvan and Kuso are being returned to Aku Maru as we speak. God Bless, and I hope you liked! Please review!

**Chapter Twelve: The Monster**

Isaiah looked up, and squinted from the pale, artificial light that beamed through the door, blinding him. He closed his eyes and turned away, choosing to listen to the man's approaching footsteps rather then turn and face his executor. He glanced at the man's boots, and smiled softly at the sharp, orderly shine. Like brother, like sister, he thought to himself as he rose and swallowed to steady himself. It took him a while to ensure his face would be straight, composed. He had never been good at hiding his emotions, or his pain but knew displays of emotion would be frowned upon or pitied by this creature.

"Greetings." Isaiah said, turning to meet the man.

Eoin Malone was staring at him, with a calm, complacent look. The Kaga was dressed in a light tunic and pants and looked like an off-duty officer who was accustomed to weakness and leisure time. The bandages that covered his neck were yellow with the smallest bit of crimson coloring them. He looked pale, with his dark hair falling over his clear gray eyes that betrayed him and showed his distrust for the Vampire.

"I've been sent to release you." Eoin said, bowing as he motioned to the door. "If you'll follow me."

"Dracula?" Isaiah said, frowning. Despite all his preparation, Eoin had still been able to say something able to knock him totally off-guard.

The Kaga looked away, "Has been taken of."

"And the Brides?"

"Dead."

Another blow that caused Isaiah to stumble. His mind began to swim as if tried to glimpse what he was saying. The balance of power had shifted and refocused again and Isaiah was left to pick up the pieces again. His mind went to what mattered. "Erised?"

"Her fate is of no concern to you."

"I love her."

"You need a heart to love." Eoin said offhandedly as he continued to lead Isaiah down the winding passageways of the Castle's underbelly. Isaiah watched the back of his head with growing disgust. He was beginning to hate the way Kaga acted superior and untouched by the very things that seemed to tear them apart. "You think you're better then me?" Isaiah asked.

"No," Eoin whispered. "I think she is."

"You don't know your sister then." Eoin swung about, slamming his fist into Isaiah's jaw. The Vampire stumbled back and looked up, without reacting. He probably deserved that so he wouldn't fight it. Instead, he shrugged it off. "She came looking for me."

"She went looking for information." Eoin said, quietly. "She found you and she uses you for that. Do you really think she's capable of loving you? Do you really think there's anything in this world she loves? She's not capable of such a task."

""I don't believe you." He countered. "How can you say those things? She's your sister!"

"Because she is my sister." Eoin had stopped and turned, looking into Isaiah's deep blue eyes and searching for the right words to express the wealth of information that rested in his heart. He wanted to tell Isaiah the truth, wanted to strip away the guise of strength and devotion that were his sister's most powerful tools and expose her for the monster she was but could not.

Creations like her were never believed in to begin with so it would do no good to warn against her.

Bowing again, Eoin motioned to the floo. "My Lord Voldemort sends his greetings…"

"Send him mine." Isaiah said after a pause, and walked to the floo. There was a spooked expression on his face as if he had glimpsed for a moment the unspoken horror Eoin held but shook it off like a dream. "Till next time…"

* * *

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away…" Remus was singing in his clear voice as Gabriel approached. The young werewolf was sitting on the stone balcony, with his guitar on his perched knee and strumming the chords to the old Beatles song. He looked up and smiled weakly, through the small cuts that were left from Dracula's struggle. Remus was sitting rigid for a youth, but despite the pain he must have been in, and exhaustion he must have felt, the boy sang sweetly and softly, invoking all the right emotions and doing so easily. "Now it looks like they're here to say. Oh, I believe in yesterday…"

"How you feeling?"

"Suddenly, I'm not half the man I use to be. There's a shadow hanging over me." Remus sang softly. "Oh yesterday came suddenly." He smiled and stopped playing. He motioned behind Gabriel towards Irvan who was sitting in the room staring at a wall while Kuso talked with Dumbledore and Jean Andre. "What's going on? Is Irvan okay?"

"Kuso says he's probably just upset that they haven't left yet. But it's fine."

"Where's Erised?"

Gabriel swallowed and looked away. "She left about early this morning, Dumbledore said it had something to do with a Necromancer she was hunting for." He held open his hand, letting a small brown cord fall from his fingers. Dangling on the end of the rope was a small silver pendant of St. Michael. The Archangel was poised with a dragon underfoot and spear in his hand waiting to strike. "She left me this."

"St. Michael protect us. Although Gabriel does seem to have it covered." Remus joked, glimpsing up and smirking. "The Left Hand of God." He said with a mixture of serious and taunting awe. "Leaving us already?"

Gabriel swallowed and nodded. "I came slay a monster…Dracula's dead."

"You don't sound too happy about that." Remus offered. He tilted his head and smiled. "I mean outside of me and my motives, I'd thought you'd be bounding for joy."

"There was no cure, Remus." Gabriel said suddenly. He looked down, awaiting the torrent that would follow. He knew Remus would not take this news well and he damned himself for lying in the first place. Had he not been so sure of his mission, of his rightness and his choices in who was right and wrong, he would have never lied to Remus. He would never have promised this boy a release from a course that damned him. "We needed your help and that's the only way I knew…I'm sorry."

Remus was looking over at him, moving his lips slowly as if trying to find the words. "…I know."

Gabriel blinked. "What?"

"Come on, Gabe." Remus chided in an undertone. "I study Defense against the Dark Arts, and I've been a werewolf more years then I haven't. Don't you think I would have been researched for everything about you and your case? I already knew that whatever cure Dracula might have had went to the grave with the original one."

"I don't understand." Gabriel whispered. "Why did you help me?"

"I didn't do it for you, or Erised…or Albus." Remus said as he looked down, fingering the chords but not striking. "I did it for me."

"I don't understand."

"To prove to myself I'm not a monster." He looked back up. "You know it's funny. You get called a monster so many times you begin to wonder if that's true. The truth, that thing that buzzes from your chest in your head, gets quieter until you almost believe you can't hear it anymore…and you become what everyone wants you to be. You prove them right. You forget the truth and just get so mixed up with labels you don't see straight."

Gabriel looked away, "I don't think I know what the truth is anymore. Everything I know to be right and wrong is turned upside down here."

"Well, what do you expect in a place with talking hats and magic mirrors?"

"There's has to be a truth though, doesn't there?" Gabriel asked. He suddenly longed for the faith that had once cemented him in his place and made everything clear-cut. He longed for the simple truth and the merciful providence that guarded all things, especially him. "During this mission, I was helped by Vampires who probably saved my life more times then I want to know, was aided by a werewolf who sang the Beatles…and fell for a woman who probably was more evil then most monsters I've killed…"

"Why do you say that?" Remus asked quietly. He wasn't looking up, and maybe in truth, Gabriel didn't really care if he was listening or not. He just needed to say it, to expel it like a poison and maybe somehow understand it once it was out in the open.

"Because it didn't matter." Gabriel said, understanding. "At the end, without lip service or lies, she didn't care. Dumbledore could have lost this battle and she wouldn't have cared."

"How do you know?"

"Because I tried to kill the Dark Prince and she stopped me. And regardless of what the Vampires have done for us, they are still allies with the Dark Lord. Maybe they helped us today, but tomorrow? They didn't help us because it's right. They helped us for her."

"Does that make it any less of a blessing, Gabe?" Remus looked up, finally. "They helped. Isn't that enough?"

"Not in war."

"You're right." Remus said as he stood. He swung the guitar to hang on his back. "We're not fighting Monsters here, Gabriel. We're fighting a war. And a war's fought by soldiers, which in turn, is just another label for people. There are no monsters here for you, hero." He smiled, softly. "There's just us."

"Remus?" Called a voice from the doorway. Gabriel turned and regarded the man who was leaning casually against the doorframe with a grin on his face. "Remus, come on! We're waiting!"

"Coming Peter!" He called. He turned to Gabriel and smiled. "Sorry. I have to go. My friends are calling. I haven't seen them in too long." Remus said, hugging him quickly. "Thank you." He whispered then turned and walked away.

Gabriel watched as Remus jumped unto Peter's back to drag the boy down. His timing, Gabriel suspected, matched perfectly with his position and the added weight caused Peter to stumble, throwing Remus into Irvan's lap. The Vampire groaned angrily and threw Remus off. Jean Andre smirked and Kuso laughed, waving goodbye as the Wolf did a slight bow and left the office.

Turning back towards the balcony, Gabriel walked towards the very far end, where he could see the sun beating off the lake, making it shine like gold. The grass looked soft and inviting from this distance, and even the Forbidden Forest looked youthful and promising. Gabriel smiled at the beauty, folding his hands before him in prayer. He felt the St. Michael charm in his palms and brought it up to study it for a long time.

Then, releasing the cord from around his fingers, Gabriel pitched the necklace as far as he could in the direction of the lake. The necklace was so small he could not see it impact the water but that didn't matter. He had set things right.

That done, Gabriel tugged his coat over frame, readjusting it to hide his weaponry and turned to find his exit.


End file.
